Minds Eye
by starflight101
Summary: After all Sam had been through in Egypt you'd think he'd get some kind of reprieve. And yet for all his courage he returns back to college, to live a 'normal' life only it was never meant to finish there. The knowledge from the allspark, once thought to have been removed, is back and will rain havoc if left unchecked. T rating for later violence.
1. Prologe

Minds Eye

I don't know if it was properly explained but I always felt they dropped the whole subject regarding Sam and the allspark knowledge. Shouldn't it still be rattling around in there causing all manner of grief? I theorized that maybe the Primes took it out when he died but I cannot recall mention of this. If anyone knows? This is my take on what happened if the knowledge from the allspark caused more trouble then realised.  
Takes place at the end of the second movie.

Sadly I don't own Transformers and I'm fairly certain my car isn't one either so on that note...

* * *

The woods are lovely,  
Dark and deep,  
But I have promises to keep,  
And miles to go before I sleep,  
And miles to go before I sleep.

~R. Frost

* * *

He had known better. Better then anyone that when you save a bunch of alien robots that they kinda put their faith, or amount thereof, in you. When the world is in peril just call Sam for help, or talk some sense into his fellow human beings. Sam was surprised the Autobots hadn't learned by now how little the other humans who knew what had transpired in the past, felt about him. To them he wasn't a hero who had taken out Megatron, he was some bratty mouthing kid they had to hush up and send back on his way. And so they would send him back to collage, where he had spent the first day practically ruining the impression of himself. He could only imagine the gossip, the rumors spreading through the campus at this very moment.

It wasn't so easy this time. This time there was a heck of a lot more tape to get past before the military was even ready to let him go. Within 24 hours they had packed up all evidence of ever being in Egypt, the sands were combed, wreckage retrieved by an impossible amount of soldiers and the injured and dead seen to. Technically Sam fell into both categories having died for several minutes. Sure, they'd fussed over him somewhat when the allspark had been destroyed and the remaining Deceptions fled thus ending the battle that short year or so ago but this was so much more. The acts of self preservation for not just himself but his planet had been accomplished so as his own people had hunted him down for the option of handing him over to their enemy in the hopes that would get Megarton off their backs and off the planet. It would have done neither but that did not matter to them, he was a pawn and always would be that child they first meet.

As he, Mikaela and Leo sat complying on their cots deep within the NEST base in Diego Garcia still being monitored by the military medics they had had little time to see their Autobot friends. There had been a few deaths, some noticeable injuries and some notable resurrections. They were reassured and placated every time they asked that Ratchet was patching up the bio-mechanical persons as good as new but it would take time and they had their own scrapes and bruises to see to. They were human after all and needed a human doctor and although the Autobots were their allies, Ratchet with sound judgment shed very little light on his species physiology. Sam could easily imagine the use the think tanks could put that information to and it made him shudder. Such power in their already powerful hands was too foolish to reason with.

So in the huge medical section the three outcasts talked amongst themselves, for a short while at least. The burns Sam had sustained in the shootout and following explosions had been oddly minimal. The way he'd felt when he could feel again had been most unpleasant, his skin seeming to absorb half the surrounding sand and coat him in a fine layer of grit and sweat. The majority of the cuts appeared to have already mostly healed in an extraordinarily short amount of time that alarmed the medics, (he suspected the Primes he had spoken to had something to do with this) but to be honest Sam was just too exhausted to care, like he could sleep for weeks and he didn't want to discuss what Mikaela wanted to discuss. He could feel her eyes on him when he tried to rest, her silent questions screaming at him.

Leo. Leo was odd. It was almost like the events had left him stunned and speechless. Not that that was so terrible, he had been with Simmons and they'd accomplished what they'd set out to do after Sam and Mikaela had gone to find Optimus's body, but he hadn't spoken with either one since. Sam could feel the distance acutely and knew their friendship wasn't solid. Hell, he hardly knew the guy before Sam had unintentionally pulled him into the Autobot's world. Most would figure this would act as some kind on deep bonding thing were people were put through such turmoil that is solidified and formed some strong silent pack but it was more awkwardness like friends becoming more then friends and regretting it later realizing it just didn't work. He wondered if they would see each other willingly again when they were free to go.

Things had changed, things were still changing, moving, evolving and Sam didn't think there was much room for him to fit. Not here. He hadn't wanted to be apart of yet another deathly fight were he was a mere insect ripe for squishing. And he was well aware this was the main subject that also bothered Mikaela. In essence Sam was torn. He now understood the need to help the Autobots, to protect them from the majority of the human race who wanted nothing but power, but he also wanted everything else they had. Normalcy. He wanted to live his life undictated and undirected as he pleased. He cared for Mikalea, but at the price she was asking?

Ever since he had taken the Matrix of Leadership and restored Optimus's spark, his mind had become silent. A blessed silence in what had quickly become a hurricane of foreign alien symbols and knowledge that he hadn't understood. Those first days in collage with that information floating around had been frightening. To know he was loosing touch with reality, to truly know it and fell it ebb away had taken his mind to another place. A dark desolate space of nowhere in absence of anything but himself. The memory of it still gave him shivers and trepidation but he reminded himself, it was now just a memory. That knowledge was gone, or at least he felt it was gone. It had left him as he had died and spoken to the Primes. He also theorized they had purged that from his mind.

With the continuing duration of their stay Sam found himself in another briefing, much like the first one he had sat down to over a year ago. The military and other personal went through question after question, wanting to know from the very beginning how he'd come to be so deeply involved once again with not just the Autobots but also the Decepticons. He held back only a few small details that he deemed unnecessary or quite personal but he was otherwise truthful. There was no point in lying.

He told them of the allspark sliver he'd found in his old clothing, that he had no idea it had been in his possession until the morning he left for collage and hadn't known of the possible danger it soon caused. To this they responded unhappily. (Why did you not report this immediately to the Military instead of getting another civilian involved? Didn't you realize any and all alien technology, even damaged or seemingly destroyed, should be handed in?).

He explained the Cybertronian symbols his mind had spewed up as the result of touching the sliver. (How could you not think that was significant enough to tell anyone until the enemy was on your back? So these symbols were floating around inside your head and you just decided it would be ok to ignore them and not even seek medial aid? What would have happened if it had liquefied your brain? This is technology from another species we're talking about, a non-biological species).

How he'd been accosted and chased by a human looking girl who'd transformed as a planted Descepticon and run after him trying to capture him. (They can take human form? When the hell did THAT happen?).

As he'd fled with Mikalea and Leo they'd been caught by Megatron himself who'd stolen the information from his brain before help from the Autobots had arrived. (And thus Optimus was killed. You also tore through the city causing massive destruction and chaos. Did it not once occur to you that this would have been better suited and fixed had SOMEONE known what was happening?).

Until Megatron had gone live and revealed the aliens existence and threatened the world unless they give him up. (All which by now, could have been avoided had you handed yourself in. Your utter carelessness and unthinking behavior helped no one).

The help from Simmons, tracking down Jetfire, the sudden trip to Egypt and the story just went on and on. They interrupted often either to admonish his sheer stupidity or inform him of the many possible choices he could have made at each step. It was too bad they hadn't been there to hold his hand and walk him through a life threatening situation. He couldn't help it as his face shone brightly with humiliation.

There was one thing though, that Sam did not mention, not to anyone. Not to Mikaela. Sam did not think she needed more coal for the fire she was currently burning against his alien comrades. It was seeing the Primes. Speaking with them had been difficult to even comprehend. On some level Sam knew Optimus understood, as far as his human companions were concerned, it was all the doing of the Matrix of Leadership. And how could Sam explain how some piece of ancient alien technology worked? It had turned from dust one minute to ... something else? He shrugged it off, stating that he simply did not know. Maybe they should ask the Autobots. It was theirs after all. They would of course question later, and he doubted Optimus would say much.

Time moved forward. His acts were noted in private records and while the army personal who understand the ground work clapped him on the back and showed genuine appreciation for once again risking his neck, the real men and women in charge who sat at their bulging wood crafted desks and watched from afar showed him no such approval or admiration. He was a bothersome pain and was lucky they didn't charge him for conspiracy.

His parents cooed over him, it was obvious they were both proud but still so worried. Their only son involved in such dangerous situations of which he did have regard for his life but would stay and stand up for what he believed in. Enough to frustrate anyone.

He said a few, too quick goodbyes and I'll see you again soon, to every last Autobot and made sure he spent a good hour with Bee, not just to see how he was getting on but to let Bee know he was always there for him and convince him that this was the place for Bee, with his Autobot family. He was suffocating alone in the human world and through Sam loved him like a true flesh brother he couldn't watch Bee sit still like he had been. It was cruel so he had to let him go. He would sacrifice anything for Bee, for all of the Autobots.

And finally it was back to collage. It felt like he'd been gone several weeks but it had only just been one. He had a line to feed the general public about why he was wanted by fairly much everyone and this time it wasn't as much bull as he thought it would be, mind you the secret about extraterrestrials was out now and he had been trashed on every news channel so in a way he could more or less tell his own tale, not that many would believe him but he had too much respect for his alien friends to go spilling anything about them.

Being back on campus though, was more difficult then the first time. At least Ron and Judy hadn't accompanied him and the government had agreed to pay his schooling fees and even pay for board for a one roomer. He'd need the space and quiet and quite frankly, he doubted Leo would miss him. Sam would push forward, try to move on. Try to forget and accept he was nothing special or worthy.

But he knew better. He always had.


	2. Part One

Part One

When I think of army psychiatrists all I can picture is that character off M.A.S.H, Sidney Freedman. He was one of my favourite characters and that is who I have based the psychiatrist off in this section. What can I say? I really liked that character ;) Now... Onwards  
Please, please, please enjoy.

Day 10  
There were smudges on the outside classroom window, as if someone had somehow climbed up the brick exterior and left the marks there on purpose. A call to others to challenge such a risky and idiotic feat? Sam couldn't help but notice its presence as it distracted him from the tedious lecture he was currently attending. It wasn't that this particular subject bore him, or that he was even unfocused in fact his mind had never been so sharp, so clear, as it had become over the last several days. He had simply failed to notice these things, the world around him. How it breathed, flexed in the sunlight, how it moved ever onward.

The shrill bell rang jolting him from his comatose state and he hustled with the flow of the people around him. Since Leo's absence and lack of any interest to resume some kind of friendship Sam had stayed mostly far away from the general populace. For three straight days he'd been hounded on the events that had led to a nation wide man hunt for his retrieval and hand off to, until that point, unknown non-biological extraterrestrials. aka Megatron and his Decepticon buddies. Now that the government had sorted that mess up and expunged it from his record that didn't mean people didn't know about it. Even though most of the records were still confidential it's not like he could hide the fact that mechanical aliens had specifically asked for him, by name in the most public way possible. Of course people wanted to know why. Why was he so special? How was he so different? And they wouldn't believe him when he said he wasn't. That it was all just some kind of misunderstanding, a circumstance of events to do with when he'd been in high school and first meet them. He kept his mouth firmly shut whenever the subject was brought up, which was often.

Not paying attention to where his feet took him he plunged head on to a man in the usual army attire. Brisk, clean and well kept he stood slightly shorter then Sam. His hair was a short mess of black curls but his face spoke volumes in kindness and open friendliness. Sam knew instantly this man was here for him but under what capacity? Glancing at his badge he knew enough to tell this man was a Major.

"Samuel Witwicky?" he asked knowing that was indeed who he was speaking to but asking only out of formality.

"Uh, yeah. Can I help you?" Sam responded hesitant.

"It's nothing to be alarmed about. I'm Reece Stride." he said this as if Sam should have known who he was. He didn't.

"I'm sorry." Reece continued, "I thought they let you know. I'm the army psychiatrist sent to check on you and your friend's progress after recent events. I really thought they had contacted you."

"Oh yeah, they might have. I don't take much to answering phones at the moment." Sam answered dryly.

"I understand. It can't be easy readjusting back into a normal routine. That's what I hope to help you with." Reece reassured in the best way he could. Trained to read body language and facial expressions he could already feel Sam's distaste at the idea. It was the usual reaction most people had who didn't seek help on their own; it of course in no way meant they didn't need it.

"Well I'm 'readjusting' just fine." Sam made the attempt to side step the smaller man but Reece wouldn't make it so easy.

"We'll need to make a time for a proper appointment. I have your roster provided by the school, if now is inconvenient perhaps after lunch tomorrow. You have a free spot then." Reece pulled out his tablet tapping the screen gently waiting for Sam's response. He sighed heavily.

"No, now is good." (Best get it over and done with) he thought to himself.

Nodding Reece led him down the overcrowded halls and into a spacious quite room made to make the occupants feel comfortable and not as if they were sitting in a principal's office about to confess all of their misdeeds.

"I have already briefly spoken with both Leo and Mikalea and they seem to be concerned about you. I've had several general reports that you've become quite withdrawn." Reece spoke in an unaccuseitory tone but made Sam tense up anyway. Hell, who didn't in the shrinks office?

"Yeah, well, the general people only seem interested in talking about one thing and I can't very well talk about it now, can I?" Sam retorted sitting uncomfortably in the soft leather chair.

Reece would not let this become an argument about what happened in Egypt, that was the past and he understood better then most that these kids needed to push away from it. "I know it's not going to be easy moving past what happened, what I'm getting at is the fact that people are curious, we always will be and nothing can change what's already been. Everyone deals with turmoil, with events differently and I'm here to listen if you want to vent."

"I'd really like to talk to Bee, or Optimus." He shrugged but looked up expectantly.

Reece gave a tight smile and Sam took this to mean it would be unlikely. More like he'd been forbidden actually. "I'll see what I can do. So, how are your classes progressing? I've heard around campus you don't have a lot of people to talk to."

By this Sam took to mean he didn't bother to stick around and listen to the usual mass problems associated with collage and every day life people generally prattled on about in their spare time and during those particular boring classes no one payed attention to. Of course if Sam ever did venture into one of these conversations all heads would snap his way in anticipation and expectancy of that one story they all wanted to hear. That story he would never tell. So no, he didn't talk to people on campus, he didn't want to and yet everyone thought this meant you were near some mental breakdown.

"Uh, no. I guess I'm still waiting for it to die down a little." He replied to Reece's satisfaction.

"Well, I'll be sticking around for a bit, if you ever have anything you need to speak to someone about, I have an open ear."

Sam struggled for a moment. Truth be told there were so many things he wanted to discuss, so many subjects of confusion, remorse and regret he wanted to shout at the top of his lungs that simply weren't far. How could his life have fallen so far from what he'd wanted, what he'd had?

And Mikalea. So many regrets.

He struggled to find the words, not sure if he wanted to find them at all but they seemed to be bubbling from his chest and bursting from his mouth before he could rein them in. "Mikalea broke up with me." He felt his cheeks instantly redden at his foolish slip. As if this man would care. No doubt he would report every word uttered back to his superiors.

Reece seemed oddly unsurprised but compassionate in his response. "It can be difficult keeping a relationship together after such a life threatening situation. Some people cling as though their lives depended on it while others just seem to fade. There will be others, of that I'm fairly sure Sam, you just need to give yourself time to breath."

His words made sense, oh how they did and yet Sam could hear the practiced flow behind it, the air of constant repetition and suddenly he felt like a hypocrite. He was just like those others he himself had run away from, moaning and whining about such trivial matters against what he had so recently fought against. He had fought mechanical aliens bent on destroying everything. He had saved the planet from an assured destruction. And now here he sat not more then a week later complaining that this girlfriend had dumped him because she just didn't get it, she didn't get him.

"Time to breathe? Yeah that'll fix everything." He muttered under his breath and Reece turned sharply having missed it but hearing the tone in Sam's voice.

"I also noted that your friend Leo hasn't been seen in your company for several days. What happened with him?"

Reece's question threw Sam off guard. Seeing as they hadn't really known each other from the start he was surprised Reece had even noticed. Though Leo blogged his own kind of story on his website, as requested by Sam it made no mention of him in a personal manner. One would almost say they hadn't realized they'd been associating.

"Nothing. I guess he just wanted to put it all behind him." Sam mumbled.

"He had a rough few days out there. Until that moment he hadn't known there were mechanical aliens currently living on earth."

Something nudged the back of Sam's mind, a thought he long come to know he should never ignore. "You had a session with him." It wasn't a question. "He had an 'interview' too, didn't he? And Mikalea?" He shouldn't have been so surprised at the admission Reece tried to hide. He had admitted he'd spoken with them but Sam had thought this to mean nothing but a quick conversation in crowded halls. Sam felt as if he'd been swiftly punched in his gut. Sure, Reece was a psychiatrist, he had other patients to talk to but when they were Sam's, and until very recent friend and girlfriend it made talking suddenly very awkward. What had they said about him? What privet moments had they revealed to the man sitting so calmly and coolly in front of him? What had they accused him of? He felt more exposed then ever and he knew he didn't like it. It was not for this man to push and prod at scars Sam stitched so tightly closed.

"Everything you say to me is in the strictest confidence. Just as everything my other patients say." Reece could see the walls already so tightly formed around Sam's mind.

"Right, well thanks for the 'talk', but I need to get going. Got studying to do." Trying his best not to sprint for the office exit Sam made a hasty retreat and fled to his room. Thankfully Reece didn't pursue him.

His room had moved, though only to the other end of the housing district, in the privet sectors. Privet didn't mean stylish or in any way better then the shared dorm rooms however, if anything could be said Sam felt a deep depressing gloom settle in his bones and the mold from the old buildings walls seep into his pores as he pressed his way inside.

As his body slipped to the floor beneath him, the door at his back, his mind which had been numbed by the sheer emotions Reece had induced, calmed. The break-up with Mikaela had been swift and hard but it was clear she blamed him for the lack of affection towards her and their relationship. Reece would already have known what he was getting into before they'd meet if he'd talked to the other two and even though Sam was well aware psychiatrists saw other people he still felt betrayed by this. How could anyone judge another on fair terms when they'd already heard that many accounts of him?

Sam had had it with the army, with the government. The only ones he trusted now were the autobots and it was clear he wouldn't be talking to them anytime in the future.

Sam's eyes slid over the dank room catching on the open window as the curtains rustled slightly. The sun had caught the reflective surface at just the right angle that the most exquisite patterns danced in the corners, moving with the light. The patterns formed and changed dancing together as Sam finally recognized what it was he was looking at. They were Cybertroian symbols, there was no doubt about that.


	3. Part Two

Part Two

As always I do not own Transformers to my knowledge, I'm just another wildly obsessed fan totally in love with the concept and story wanting it totally to go their way :(... It never does.

* * *

Day 5

The heat hung in the air so close to his skin that he felt it would smother him to death. To be honest it would be a welcome reprieve from the constant nagging and questions that came his way. He'd made it clear though, ask and you will not be answered. Too bad it had taken the last four days for this message to seep in, he calculated that half of the student body had approached him for one reason or the other for the inside scoop on the now very public knowledge of his personal life. It had the unfortunate side effect of completely alienating him from the rest of the student campus however and with the way Leo now acted, or more simply, made himself scarce, he doubted making friends would be an easy hill to climb or if the effort was even worth the struggle.

On the more positive note Mikaela was dropping by which Sam was uncertain with. Should he be excited or unnerved or the more mystified. She'd spent the first day back hanging around the campus as he'd resumed his classes in a glorified eye turning manner which had served only to draw tension between them as she tried to get him to loosen up. Didn't she understand the thought of acting 'normal' seemed horribly ridicules? Sam had been unable to relax once that day and the 'talk' they'd had in his dorm room that night still haunted him.

His morning classes now finished Sam swiftly made his way back to his room if only for a few moments peace before his girlfriend arrived. He made a noticeable effort to tidy up and casually flipped open one of his text books as he waited.

A light rap on the outside door and the 'clop clop' of heels that followed had Sam to his feet and he greeted Mikaela in the hallway with a shy and uncertain grin. "Hey beautiful."

She smiled playfully but Sam didn't miss the grimace that hid behind it or the way she pulled away as he tried to hook his arm around her. She bee lined for his room and took a seat on the single chair as opposed to the bed where he could sit beside her. It was clear to him the tone of her visit.

"So, what brings you up my way? Just couldn't stay away from your planet saving boy toy?" The words tasted forced and foul in his mouth.

"Sam…." She seemed unable and unwilling to simply blurt it out but Sam waited patently needing to hear, knowing somehow what was coming. "I can't do this." Her voice had almost disappeared as she uttered those words and the finality ripped through him harshly.

"Wha….. What are you saying? Is this about the other day? I told you, I don't work for the autobots. That whole mess is behind us."

"Will it ever be Sam? You can look a Decepticon in the face and defy him if it means ending your life and you can't even tell me you love me?"

"I do….."

"No Sam, you don't." She stood abruptly, hurt pain and humiliation in her eyes as if he were saying this to her and not the other way around.

"Mikaela, I. Love. YOU." He put his feelings, his repressed emotions so strongly in those words and yet they failed to get through, they failed to make her understand how difficult this was for him. He never thought he could know a woman as intimately as he did Mikaela, to manage to survive what they had both been through and have her so completely in the dark to his true personality and expressions.

"So you would give them up? You would cut yourself from them forever?" She was of course referring to the autobots, this was always where these fights led. The one thing that had brought them together was also the main reason for their tension and arguing.

"I tried." He pleaded to her deaf ears. "But they couldn't do it without me. They NEEDED my help and it's not like anyone else had Cybertronion symbols and knowledge floating around their heads. I had no choice."

"You always have a choice. You just never choose me."

"Mikaela!" Sam screeched her name as she fled his room. "Mikaela!"

She whorled as the attention to them mounted and he stopped abruptly just metres from her, still and waiting, always waiting for her.

"I can't do this Sam. Not any more. I'm trying to help you because you'll end up dead if you keep doing this!" Her eyes glistened with unshod tears but she held them back, her anger replacing them.

He stood rigid, his muscles tensing and unresponsive as she continued to let her frustrations out for the world to hear. It wasn't so much her hurtful confession and continuous berating of his person that got to him, it was the way she now referred to the autobots. As if they were scum, some kind of infection that he needed to be rid of in order to live again. She blamed them, it was clear, for the stress and way her life had become. Sam noted how she easily forgot what good they'd done for her life. She and her father now had a clean record thanks to the whole autobot 'mess'.

She turned her back on him for the last time and he watched in a sort of relieved silence as she disappeared. Maybe it was better this way. Maybe they were never meant to be together after what they'd been through. Maybe, maybe, maybe.

He ambled back to his solitary room, the people around him seemed to fade into the background and he sank into himself like never before.

* * *

Day 21

The screen was flashing before him, the light blotting out the darkness that surrounded him at such a late hour. By all accounts Sam should have been fast asleep in the barley tolerable bed provided but he wasn't and this was hardly a new occurrence these days.

If he had to admit anything it was that his appearance had taken a turn. Where he had always been rather wiry and thin he hadn't had much of an appetite lately and this had served only to draw his cheeks in further giving him that hollow dead look and yet physically he felt ok. Sure he got the occasional headache and nosebleed and his eyelids constantly drooped though he never seemed to sleep, and it wasn't as though he was currently close to any particular person that they would notice the drastic change. People tended to move away form him as he hid underneath his baggy clothes.

His laptop lights dimmed from inactivity and he moved the curser, shifting back to attention. His time table informed him he had yet another appointment with the army psychiatrist Reece Stride whom he had avoided three times now since their first encounter. He'd received several emails from the irritable man and had dodged each one with feeble excuses. In retrospect that probably wasn't so much a good idea as he'd thought. This man was relentless and the next time they meet he would surely notice Sam's diminished physical presence.

But it was not just this he would somehow have to hide; it was the re-occurrence of the alien pictographs and knowledge slowly seeping back into the forefront of his mind. It helped to write it down and he now hid several books worth in the flooring under the bed. He had assumed that it had disappeared or been removed when he'd momentarily died and had spoken to the Primes, that they'd reached into his subconscious and scrubbed it clean but it would seem it had just been pushed back. This time however, it came trickling forth and not wave after wave as if his brain was actually trying to compensate for once. This time, Sam thought he could even understand some of it. But trying to do that so far had only proved to set off the headaches and then the nosebleeds, so he didn't focus on it for long.

To top off the cake, when he did manage to sleep his dreams were filled with Cybertronian things. This was currently the best way he could describe it. He saw their planet, their people living in harmony one moment and then fighting to the death the next. Flashes of their true metal robotic faces and bodies as they clashed and destroyed much like humans did now, destroying the planet they lived on. He would wake drenched in sweat, shaking and weak as he scrambled to the bathroom for a cool splash of water on his face.

Sam kept his eyes open and focused on the computer before him. Most people at this moment would be asleep, curled between the textile delights that a comfortable blanket awarded them while others still would be studying, their minds absorbing like a sponge a mere snatch of knowledge the world had to offer them. Where Sam could no longer sleep on a regular basis and the rate of knowledge he inhaled was extraordinary, he had taken that early morning to search the web. What he looked for he was now certain many also did, activity of NEST and the autobots.

Hours ticked by and he didn't realize the time until his eyes flickered over the alarm clock display and he realized he was late for his morning lecture. Cursing he shut the computer down, made a quick trip to the bathroom and changed into something that would cover him well. No need to have the staff on his back as well.

As usual the class was as uninteresting as the rest seeing as he had already memorized all the itinerary material, not just for the semester but for the entire course. At this rate he could graduate collage completely in another week's time but it might look a tad suspicious should he follow that thought . As he stumbled out of the room, last as usual, a hand reached out to snatch him before he fell. It was Reece Stride's hand and suddenly Sam's stomach rolled as he jerked it back from the close contact.

"Sam?" Reece stepped too close and scrutinized with far too much proficiency. Though highly trained as he was to keep his own emotions in check even Sam could not miss the flash barrage of shock, concern and worry. "You don't look well."

Before he could say more Sam interrupted with what he hoped was an easy manner and smirk as he tried to control his heartbeat. "Yeah, too much studying, not enough sleep. I'm sure you know the drill." He shrugged and made to turn away and back to the room he'd emerged from this morning, (he shouldn't have bothered going to class today), wishing he'd never left. He was not quite fast enough.

"I think you should sit down." Reece clutched his upper bicep and with surprising strength for a man of his stature, easily led the way to the office they'd had their first and only 'talk'.

"I really am fine; I just need some sleep, so if you'll excuse me, I think I'll be going to get some."

"Really? Just sleep you say." The tone in which Reece said those few words sent a cold shudder up the very exposed nerves of Sam's back. It was enough to make him stay put and wait for the rest while his mind screamed at him to run before it was too late.

"Yeah…Sleep." He was unconvincing enough to make even himself wince.

"You look like you haven't eaten a solid meal in days; your hands are shaking and if you were standing I'm sure your legs would be too. Need I mention the zombified face you are currently wearing?"

Sam swallowed as he felt his mouth dry and his mind work. Was it that obvious? What could he possibly say to get this man off his back?

* * *

Thanks for the reviews! They are such great motivators so I hope you enjoyed my latest chapter with more to come soon ;)


	4. Part Three

Part Three

I hope you are as anticipatory as I in this next chapter. If there is anything I am missing please let me know. I'm sorry in advance for any spelling or grammar errors, I'm so thankful they invented spell check as I am a truly horrific speller and no matter how many times I proof read I always miss something. As always I am envious to the true owners of transformers and own only the story direction in which this spirals down.

* * *

Day 21

Samuel Witwiky's heart was pounding so violently in his chest cavity he feared there was something wrong, like maybe he was having a heart attack. He took deep breath after deep breath, trying his best to calm himself as he dared to stare this irritating, compassionate and thoughtful psychiatrist in the eye. He would not let himself be drawn in where he would confess his feelings and buried emotions so they could be taken apart later and scrutinized under Reece's psychological microscope.

"I notice you've skipped several classes recently." Reece's sharp intruding voice brought Sam back to the present.

While it was true Sam had unintentionally lost track of time (with the sometimes rare moments of sleep he managed) he knew it wasn't for the reason Reece would come to the conclusion of. But why not let him think so? It was after all a justifiable excuse.

"Yeah… It's probably just a virus, there's always one going around." He sure looked the part of man flu but Sam would never let on that his recent poor time management was almost always due to the odd displacements he would suffer when his mind became so entangled in the alien knowledge filtering around his brain. Should Reece discover Sam's deception he cringed at the possible outcomes that would very likely befall him. No, this he would need to keep from everyone and yet there was that nagging sensation he usually shrugged off that told him he urgently needed to speak with an autobot. You'd think this simple request could be arranged for a teenage boy who saved the world twice now, and in a very life threatening way he would add, but so far Reece didn't really seem interested helping him accomplish that.

Reece nodded, the unease in his posture easing only slightly. "Perhaps you should visit the nursing station later." Though meant to be a light hearted suggestion Sam felt it had more force behind it, like Reece would like nothing better then to personally accompany him there himself.

Sam let his shoulders slump down and ease into the chair more comfortably in the hope his loosening manner would alleviate Reece's rigid line of questioning. Body posture spoke volumes after all, and by giving the appearance of relaxation in Reece's presence he was optimistic his answers would be taken as frankness. He didn't want this psychiatrist to constantly dissect his responses in the pursuit of truthfulness of which his answers were lacking hugely.

"So, how have you been Sam? Your professors tell me your grades are exceptional but you still don't associate with others. As far as I can tell, you don't have any friends. Does that bother you?"

How many times would this man ask that question to another faceless person under his examination? How many times had he already? And how many of those people had actually thought about it? Had actually thought this man could help, could possibly understand what they were going through? Sam had little doubt Reece truly had no real idea on which path to go down when it came to comprehending Sam's past adventures and the marks they had left behind in order to 'help' him. Hell he had trouble remembering some of the finer details himself and as for his feelings, they were in the heat of the moment utter terror, shock and awe that he could actually help these all powerful beings. He felt they gave him too much credit, that was what he truthfully felt.

He answered in half truths hoping he could end this session as quickly as possible and return to his room in an effort to sleep. His mind was slowing and he couldn't have that right now, not when he needed a sharp and clear head. "Yeah well, when you don't have to go around trying to please everyone you have a lot of time for studying. It gets lonely sometimes but I keep myself focused. It's either that or develop an eating disorder." He meant the last comment to be a joke but the expression on the psychiatrists face had him spluttering in nonsense. "Not that I would…ever go there….I like food….you couldn't keep me from…..." He choose then to stop his rambling.

Reece smiled and waved his hand slightly like he was sweeping it under the rug. Sam could have jumped off the tallest building then and there but decided he'd had enough; there was no need for this. This man didn't know a thing about him other then what the army kept in their folders (which he suspected was an embarrassing directory of everything he'd ever done in his life up to that point), and a file could only tell you so much. They couldn't know about his latest and most recent developments unless they'd bugged his room. He made a mental note to search it thoroughly as soon as he got back.

"Well, this has been embarrassing, if that's all." Before Reece could answer Sam turned and had his hand on the door before the physicist could respond.

"I would like to see you again in a few days, if you don't mind." Sam suspected that if he did mind, that wouldn't matter to Reece. It was the kind of statement that you didn't respond to. "And I would rather not have to run through the entire campus in order to locate you."

Sam turned back; a forced light caviler smile plastered on his face and nodded his assurances before he fled from the confining room. Reece wasn't stupid, he knew he wasn't the most convincing of people when it came to deceit but he did believe he'd brought some time. How long would he have before they decided to bring him in for a check-up and find something wrong? Because something had to be wrong, he was Samuel Witwiky after all and nothing in his life ever seemed to work in his favor.

* * *

Day 24

Without realizing it days had passed. Sam, having been near confronted by Reece had remained hidden in his dorm room since then, submitting his necessary school work via email and continuing his efforts to unburden his mind in any way possible. But his usual outlet seemed to be becoming less and less effective. The headaches were bad. They seemed to strike when he was his most focused and every beat of his heart made the walls pulse as though they were alive and breathing. He'd ordered all and any painkillers he could procure online and threw them back like a lifeline, his mind would dull somewhat but it was still there, a constant throb that tugged him into a wanting darkness.

Reece's few days had passed and they were supposedly set for a later morning session. Sam had already made his decision not to go, obviously, not that it was a particular difficult choice to make just one he dreaded.

On his bed sat a ratted backpack which he had filled and scrutinized the contents of in the early hours of the morning. He couldn't continue to wait as he had, to postpone as his mind collapsed and his world grew dark. He would have left weeks ago if he wasn't such a coward, if he hadn't denied thinking he didn't matter and this problem was in fact nothing, just a cry of 'look at me' after the autobots had left and turned their backs. He repeatedly told himself he was foolish for thinking he was different, somehow special or better in their eyes. They worked every day with the best and the brightest, the soldiers who risked their lives constantly and with grace and what had he shown to them? A nagging adolescent who thought he knew it all, who believed they couldn't save the world without him. How could he run to them and complain now? He was lucky for all he had, for all he knew and had been witness to.

Now though, he was left with little choice, either stay in his depressing and pathetic room and wait for Reece to take him or find some answers, find the autobots. If they didn't care about him, they might at least be interested in some of their ancient knowledge locked in his withering mind. He could give them this one last thing.

Just as the sun was beginning to rise he made his way across the school grounds not bothering to look behind him, he doubted he was coming back, and walked as swiftly as his weakened mussels would take him. The first rotting inconspicuous vehicle he came across was the target of his first self grand theft auto. His ex-girlfriend had at least taught him this one so he made quick work and was on the outskirts of the city before the morning traffic hit force.

His destination however wasn't so clear cut. He didn't believe he could just charge right up and into the autobots base, he would be taken out before he saw the shine on the mechanical aliens' exoskeletons for sure. He would need to locate an autobot outside the base and somehow manage to talk to it preferably without any guards or escorts around and then convince said autobot to take him to Optimus.

Yeah, that would work.

It was a stupid idea, one that would never get far and yet it was all he could think up. He had a lead though, the best way to look for autobots was to look for Decepticons seeing as Decepticons didn't make themselves as impossible to find to humans as their counterparts. It was often their belief that the human race was a slow and moronic species and should tremble in their presence. While it was true they only kept marginally hidden so as to avoid the autobots, Sam could see the signs in the programmed software he'd developed on several of his many sleepless nights to help track them. The power outages, surges with hard to describe and understand destruction led him along the way.

It was early afternoon before Sam stopped the stolen car for some much needed gas and a pick me up coffee. Finding an internet connection just down the quiet main street at a cafe he made himself more comfortable in a far corner seat and hunched over his laptop.

His heart was racing with all of his activity. Could he find them? Just one who would listen and maybe somehow fix whatever this was?

He hadn't been sitting for long when an almost tangible pulse tingled across his skin and nerves, up his spine to register in his brain. It was like touching running electric silk, it made him shiver. But he knew what it was instinctively and without question. There was a Transformer nearby. But was it friendly or not?

Clasping his computer shut he shoved it onto his backpack and made his way outside scanning his surroundings meticulously. He spotted a solider in common clothes emerge from a slink, top of the line model police cruiser. It didn't register what state it originated from but Sam could make out the unmistakable glint of the autobot insignia on its bumper. The solider wasn't alone and was quickly surrounded by the rest of his crew, none of whom Sam personally recognized. One discreetly carried and waved around a small device Sam couldn't make out and they all headed into a large seemingly abandoned building with the autobot staying behind. He couldn't have hoped for a more opportune moment as this one.

Not knowing how long he would have he started in the autobots direction on the other side of the street trying his best not to glance up so often. What could he say? He had antagonized over this question for hours during the drive. Somehow he didn't think human words could benefit him, no he would need to speak to this autobot in his own language. Or the closest thing Sam knew thanks to the allspark was the language of the Primes. Seeing as he didn't have the vocal cords to produce the majority of the sounds needed he would have to write it down. Something simple, because there was no guarantee this autobot could speak it either, only the ex-Decepticon Jetfire had been able to as far as he knew, but surly the autobot had to recognize at least some of it.

Pulling his notebook free Sam neatly and in large writing jotted down a page worth of text as he walked. His feet trembled as he stepped closer and closer until the car was now on the other side of the road, just metres from him. It was watching him for sure perhaps noting his continuing looks, his slowing stride and quickening heartbeat. Not knowing the time he had left Sam took a breath and crossed to the other side of the street.

* * *

ATTN: Please note I am not form the USA so am not particularly versed in that section of geography. You'll notice I don't mention cities or towns by name or know proper distances and travelling time between them, please excuse this; I will try to familiarize myself with it in the future.


	5. Part Four

Ready for the next chapter? How did you know it was Prowl? LOL did the police cruiser give it away? I really liked him in the cartoons and was kinda bummed when they brought out a Decepticon police car in the movie, I really wanted that to be Prowl.

I had shivers typing this chapter. I just love getting into the midst of a story and having that anticipation build not knowing where the hell its going but enjoying that too. Which is what it feels like now, I hope it quakes you too. (Ugh, that sounded weird).

Transformers in all their glory is not mine, I just borrow the characters sometimes for fun :)

* * *

Part Four

_Prowl_

Autobot designation Prowl sat silently in his alt mode on the right side of the street as the humans currently in charge entered the large desolate building taking up an obscene amount of otherwise usable space. Prowl had been on Earth for only a few of their weeks but had adjusted fairly well given the sheer volume of regulations and rules all autobots had to adhere to upon arrival. To be honest he hadn't felt very welcomed despite their leader's assurances that this planet was indeed a safe haven for all autobots. Upon landing and introductions he'd meet with the humans' equivalent of a Prime, Theodore Galloway, who seemed to have little support from his inferiors. It was more then clear Galloway's opinion of all Cybertrioans' was one of dislike, abhorrence even. But as Prowl had conversed afterwards with his comrades they had been able to put a lot of things into perspective. Theodore Galloway was not a liked man by either party which seemed to sum up Prowls observations of how the humans ran things.

It wasn't long before Prowl was assigned a human team for recon where he currently found himself now. He discovered the odd way in which humans interacted with each other. Though it was clear there was a ranking system between them, they often broke this to a less formal stance until on point. He deemed it would require more scrutiny before he could come to understand their habits.

The four story building in which he currently waited outside of was out of place in this mostly, more modest, one story suburb. It was considered a small town but to Prowl the humans were fairly tiny that any more then a dozen in one place was crowding. So it was easy to spot the one lone human male as he leisurely made his way down the opposite side of the road.

For his species he was a scrawny thing, little muscle mass in a medium frame with a backpack tossed over his shoulder. As he neared Prowl's position he pulled a notebook from his bag and scribbled shakily onto it casting glances Prowl's way more often then Prowl would have liked. It was obvious this human could sense something was different about Prowl as he tried feebly to make himself inconspicuous.

Prowl's guard was already up and alert and although he'd been instructed to comm the humans should anything of the suspicious nature appear, he could see little threat this lone figure would impose.

The teen crossed the street, a quiver in his stride; his knuckles turning a different shade as his gripped his notebook. Prowl sat inaudible as the human stopped, hesitating just metres from him looking Prowl over as if surmising his worth. An odd tremor rumbled through Prowl's processors vibrating his very spark in such an astonishing manner Prowl instinctively backed up. There was something erroneous with this human. A reaction he had never experienced until this moment.

Chatter from the human team inside the building cut through his silent musings as they gave the all clear. The Decepticon they were currently hunting was no longer hiding inside so they would need to move on if they hoped to catch up with it. The two soldiers riding with him were on their way out.

As if sensing this also the human made an abrupt movement toward him, placing the notebook he had so tightly been clutching to himself, that it was still warm with his body heat, on the ground open.

Prowl continued to watch, never taking his gaze away, sure the teen would make another move but he seemed to be waiting instead for Prowl to make the next move.

A door close by groaned open and the human jumped, his nerves getting the better of him and he turned promptly, fleeing up the street and around another building out of eye sight. Still immensely puzzled by the humans actions Prowl took the time to scan the notebook that had been left behind. Had his species had the need to breathe, his breath would have stopped a hitch.

Scribbled in straight spidery scratches was the unmistakable scrawl of the Language of the Primes. In true form their language was complex to human standards and though they had several samplings in their database in was mostly a jumble of illegible facts the humans could not even begin to decode. This however was simple, almost childlike as if the man had wanted to make his meaning clear. It was a short description of the last recorded geographical readings from the planet Cybertron. The rapidly moving crusts as the vast destruction had rained down upon it, the ever cooling climate as the planet cracked and fractured turning it darker and ever desolate.

Prowl snatched the notebook from the ground by rapidly mid transforming and extending a limb, hiding the innocuous low-tech information tablet the man had left behind, and pulling it neatly into a small gap within himself.

As the soldiers approached him all seemed unambiguous. Prowl reported nothing and followed their commands. They did not need to know of the strange boy and his notebook or the message he had left him. The way he had known without indecision that Prowl was not just one of their mass constructed automobiles but instead an autobot. Perhaps he should contact Optimus, he would easily ascertain the situation and know what to do with the surely troublesome human male. But still, the teen had approached _him._

Whatever decision Prowl choose to make he would have to make soon. He doubted the boy would hang around with the military soldiers combing the town, he had proven that by fleeing before they had re-emerged, Prowl could easily identify him again. He just needed the opportunity for another moment as the one he'd just had. The constabulary in him had to know.

* * *

_Sam_

Stupid, foolish, incompetent. These words rattled inside his mind as he stood cowering around the corner of a closed shoe store several shops down from the autobots location. But even if he'd wanted to, he couldn't stick around. As the soldiers had emerged he spied none whom he knew personally and though he was certain they would know _him_ this meant nothing. He imagined Reece had contacted his superiors by now and if these guys hadn't yet been informed, they soon would be.

Or maybe he was just being paranoid? His mind was in such a state of hyper suspicion and confusion he wasn't sure what to believe, what was really happening. The obvious signs that surely he was mentally ill but how could he trust that? How could he know?

He slid down the side of the old brick building resting his poorly used legs to think. What else was there for him to do? Should he run? Oddly enough the autobot didn't seem to have informed anyone of their silent exchange and as Sam peered around the corner as they moved off, his notebook was nowhere to be seen. What did this mean? Had the autobot taken it or had one of the soldiers seen it and snatched it up?

He could try again, find another autobot and write another note because something inside him, whether it was his own mind or the pushing of the allspark knowledge hidden in his subconscious, that told him he had to. That this was important.

Either way, he wasn't in the mood to try anything else today. He could fall asleep right there in the alleyway, his eyes getting heavy and thick.

…...

With a jerk Sam came back to himself in the pitch black. He had allowed him mind to doze and in doing so, slept for several hours. Though extremely uncomfortable, his limbs screaming at the position they were crushed into, it was the fittest sleep he'd had in a long while.

The clink of metal on brink sounded a short distance away, most likely being the noise that had awoken him in the first place. Knowing this was perhaps not the best place to be Sam gingerly rose, grabbing hold of the building behind him as his muscles stretched and groaned in protest. Taking a few steps Sam peered into the darkness, his heartbeat acing painfully next to his ribs. He should go, go now and not look back.

But as two shining red beams tore into the darkness his mind and body froze. Those red eyes, he had nightmares about them, following him, chasing him, laughing at him and his weak pathetic attempts to flee on insect legs.

Gasping he stumbled backwards, slipping clumsily on the concrete. This couldn't be a dream, the pain throbbing inside his skull and up his legs as he lay sprawled on the ground made it real which made the Decepticon in his hazy line of sight also real and petrifying. He'd be lying if he ever told anyone that facing the Decepticons again and again dulled down the fear when they looked into his eyes.

In the light of one of the monotonous street lamps the Decepticon shone silver, its frame smaller then most but by no means less sinister. It stepped forward, a smile ghosting its mechanic face as it spied Sam, prone and easy pray. This was not how he'd hoped this road trip would end, making semi contact with an autobot only to fall victim to a Decepticon hours later by his carelessness. Whoever this con was it was most likely whom the soldiers had been hunting. Perhaps he shouldn't have kept himself hidden.

The Decepticon shot forward, its razor sharp claw-like hands reaching out for him, making contact and tearing through his flesh. He screamed, hot blood running down his left shoulder as the con dug in securing his grip so tightly Sam couldn't move without the agony crippling him.

"Well, well, well. What a treat." The cons voice reverberated in Sam's skull making his blood run suddenly cold and his breath cease in his thorax. "It is unwise to be playing in the shadows fleshling. Have your protectors abandoned you?"

Sam would never admit how acutely those words stung. Though said only to make him fearful they hit more deeply to home, for wasn't that indeed what his 'friends' had done? Leaving him alone with no one to speak to (he wasn't counting Reece) and with no means of communication should he ever find himself in need as he had in the past and now once again, the present.

"Tell me boy, why do you cower in the streets so? Why do you slink around without that minder of yours?" At the cons mention of Bumblebee Sam's heart shrank. How he wanted so fiercely to see him again before he died. "Never mind, I shall enjoy ripping you to shreds."

The con reared its talons once more at him, this time lifting Sam completely off the ground and breaking through the soft bony flesh in his right thigh. His shrieking pierced across the night as more red liquid soiled in a pool below him.

How could he stop it? It hurt so much and yet there was that voice, that repulsive cruel voice that whispered in his mind of self loathing and doubt that told him he wasn't good enough. That this was his deserved fate for the intrusions and impositions he had cast onto countless others. He deserved this. He deserved this?

As the shadows enveloped him in obscurity a flicker of light glistened in his mind, a power pulling from his body and out to his fingertips. An energy he had never felt before with the force of a torrential hurricane burst out and blinded him.

A terrifying wail ripped from the cons voice processor and he dropped Sam unceremoniously back to the pavement below. The impact sent another jar of pain across Sam's body but as his consciousness dimmed he focused his eyes at the howling con stumbling away in pain. He didn't understand how, but somehow he was still alive. At least for the moment.

* * *

Hoped you enjoyed :)


	6. Part Five

Hello all my lovely readers, thank you so much for your reviews and interest, I'm sure you've been wanting to know what will happen to Sam next. I've barley been able to put my computer away, typing madly into the nights, but its so worth it.

I'm hoping that once the 4th movie comes out in will regenerate interest once again for this fiction its just terribly infuriating Sam's not in it. To me he will always be the human the autobots go to and who gets all the most horrible luck in life when said worlds collide.

I cry my heart out that these characters and transformers aren't mine, that being said here is...

* * *

Part Five

_Prowl_

Prowl often observed the difference in human behavior when the darkening cycle of their planet came into rotation. Though his own planet had a nightly rotation it wasn't in such stark differentiation as Earths. He enjoyed the darker cycles as seemingly did the soldiers as they relaxed slightly though remembering to stay sharp. They were still on assignment.

The con they had tracked to this small insignificant populace was in hiding, even though they had the latest in Energon Energy tracking or EEt, if a con wanted to lie low there were ways around it. All their group could currently do was watch and observe until the con made a move, or mistake. Whichever came first.

As some of the men settled down for late nutrients, Prowl abnormally found himself thinking back to the boy who had approached him. The notebook still shielded away and scanned several times did little to ease the questions forming in his processor.

How could such a feeble looking human creature have gotten his squishy hands upon it? He was aware, along with Optimus and several other autobots that the humans were indeed trying to learn their language but so far to negligible success. They had only small snippets of information, the rest had been lost with the allspark. The mere thought that these beings could translate the complexity of it was obscene. He had been admonished by Prime himself for voicing these opinions. Humans, he said, were not to be underestimated. He, like all new autobots, heard one way or the other of the first parties encounter and what had transpired leading to the destruction of the allspark. It had not surprised him by the way this species acted that it was a human who had destroyed it.

The shrieking of the EEt alarm cut across their makeshift compound like gun fire and the personal snapped into attention. Already at alert Prowl listened as men and women shouted off questions and orders arranging themselves into their trained positions. He was ready to follow suite until the moment his very spark screeched and burned in protest. This feeling, this pain, he had felt something similar earlier that day; he would never forget such a thing. But it was magnified and twisted, withering in the atmosphere around him.

As if on automatic he slammed into high gear and tore through the crowd of running people, desperation cutting into him. Someone shouted his name but he ignored it, all his attention focused on finding the instigator of that feeling. Being just on the towns outskirts if took him but a few minutes to tear down the same roads and stop immediately at a darkened alleyway, the acidic rusting stench of human body fluids permeating the air. His shining blue optics glistened eerily in the darkness until he spied the unmoving form crumpled by the wall of a building. There was no mistaking the boy from before.

Engaging his sensors he scanned the boy, the readings coming back distressingly erratic. There was no time to think. He transformed into his robot-mode, as the humans termed it, and eased down the alleyway kneeling at the boy's side before gingerly grasping him in his hands. Two jagged injuries marred his pliable skin, one stretching his upper left arm and encompassing his shoulder down his back and the other dug deeply into his right thigh where blood continued to trickle slowly onto the cold concrete adding to the already substantial puddle there. Prowl had uploaded many human texts available freely to all autobots who wanted them but he was ashamed at that moment by how little he knew of human biology. By the amount of humans in his care he would have to make sure this changed, he didn't take situations like this, where he was not properly informed, very well.

From his observations though he gathered to apply pressure to the gaping wounds and bind them with cloth, such delicate work better suited for Ratchet's dexterous hands, but he would have to make do. Carefully shredding some of the boys clothing he carefully bound the material around his leg stopping the blood flow. The boy groaned moving slightly that Prowl had to adjust him and hold on tighter. The shoulder was not as bad and had stopped bleeding on its own and feeling the need to vacate the area Prowl let it be for the moment.

Shifting back to the main road Prowl transformed into vehicle-mode, the boys body shifting to rest in his back seat and wrapped tightly and securely with several seatbelts. It was then that the situation caught up to him and the nagging on this comms got his attention.

"Prowl! Where the hell are you?" Came the gruff voice of the Captain in charge.

Transmitting back through the channel Prowl scrubbed the irritation from his vocal processors. "I am in pursuit of our target." He wasn't used to lying, it went against everything he stood for, but something told him not to utter a word about the boy and the real reason he was were he currently was.

"Energon readings are off the scale! They've almost dissipated now but whatever or whoever that was we need to find them now!"

"Understood." Prowl replied but he had a theory about that too. He didn't think it was the Decepticon that had caused the immense power reading, it was still radiating in the area, around the boy of all things. Could he be more then what Prowl was seeing? What was he?

First things first Prowl needed help but he also didn't want to leave the boys side. If he were to hand him over to the human field medic he would then have to explain the entire chain of circumstance, something he believed the boy didn't want either seeing as he had approached Prowl and purposely stayed out of sight from the soldiers. But it wasn't like Prowl knew any other humans either let alone doctors or medics.

As his internal struggle continued, his tires growing hot at the speed he seared down the highway, he came to the only conclusion plausible. Ratchet, not currently on assignment, would be his best bet in the area of knowledge he needed, not to mention the boys current development would surly justify the intrusion on the autobot medic. He just had to give a valid reason to get him out of the base but with that he was sure he could come up with something good.

* * *

_Sam_

It was the pain and the constant rocking that brought him back into his body and the moment he became aware his mind screamed in protest at the flash of memories and visions. The attack from the con had his palms sweaty, or where they already that way to begin with? It was odd though; he was currently nestled somewhere comfortable, secure and warm and was that a heater being blasted in his face?

His fingers twitched followed by his toes and he instantly regretted the movement as hot pain scorched up his side. His leg was pure agony; it felt like a knife was continuing to stab him repeatedly, serrating its way deep into his muscle. He peered open one eye to examine his new surroundings and figure out who had helped him and almost spluttered as he realized he was with an autobot, the same one he'd approached earlier. Had it come back to find him? Did it want answers to the notebook he'd left behind?

He noticed embarrassingly that he was lightly bleeding all over the back seat of the autobot and that someone seemed to have done a rather crude patch up tourniquet on his leg by ripping up his shirt. Oddly enough there were no humans around, had the autobot done this for him?

Seeming to sense Sam's discomfort the autobot slowed its pace as Sam tried feebly to prop himself upright. He didn't get far as his shoulder then protested loudly at him. Needing to break the silence Sam spoke first. "Who are you?"

"My designation is Prowl, autobot military strategist." Prowl's deep monotone voice vibrated down Sam's spine as he moved slightly about trying to get comfortable again. Prowl had at least loosened the straps that had held him steady when he woke.

"Where are we going?" Or where was he taking them was what he really wanted to know, but he didn't want to come off rude to the autobot who had seemingly saved his life.

For a long moment Sam didn't think Prowl would respond, as it turned out Prowl was simply deciding weather or not to tell him. It wasn't like he would be able to escape Prowl, let alone put up a fight in his current condition so there was no harm in saying. "The head medic of the autobots, his designation is Ratchet. He has versed himself immensely in the repair and inner workings of humans."

At Ratchet's name Sam almost panicked. It hadn't been all that long ago since he'd last seen the gruff and often insensitive medic. Ratchet had questioned Sam quite thoroughly on the resurrection of Optimus when they had been safely returned to the NEST base and also run monotonous scan after monotonous scan on Sam himself though he was never satisfied by the readings.

He hoped by meeting up with Ratchet he could then explain some of what he understood was happening and that Ratchet in turn would be able to take him to Optimus. He realized not involving any humans was a foolish expectation when they made it a point to surround themselves in all autobot affairs. He just wanted the chance to face Optimus alone and get the truest answers they could discover before he was dragged away, the ending he dreaded deep in his heart was being locked away by the government never seeing anyone he could trust ever again.

"What is your designation?" Prowl interrupted his depressing thoughts and Sam had to catch himself from automatically answering. Did he want Prowl knowing who he was? Surely all autobots and Decepticons alike knew it was he who was responsible for their allsparks destruction. That he was the reason their race could no longer flourish on any planet. Perhaps with such knowledge Prowl would throw him out that moment and let him die by the side of the road alone, before he could explain?

He decided Prowl deserved the truth, as he himself had diverged this. "It's Sam. Sam Witwiky." He sucked in a breath and waited for the response.

"Samuel Witwiky? You are the boy Optimus talks of? The human who help subvert Megatron?"

Sam gulped. "Uh… yeah, that's me."

Prowl remained silent for a while and Sam's heart began to speed. What was this bot thinking?

"Why did you approach me with this?" At Prowl's question a small compartment opened and out popped Sam's notebook, the page open at the Cybertroian symbols he had drawn. "How did you learn of this?"

"I'm not sure what exactly it is to be honest. I think it has something to do with your planet. I only wrote that down so you would talk to me."

"What did you need to ask?"

Sam had to think for a moment, how could he word this? "Something's wrong with me. I don't know how much you know about what happened a month ago but it has to do with that."

"Optimus has informed me of the events that have transpired since his arrival on this planet."

"Ok then, well a month ago I was packing for college and going through my old clothing. I found the shirt I was wearing on the day I destroyed the allspark," his voice quivered on the admittance but he continued despite this, "and a sliver of the allspark fell out. I hadn't even realized it was there. It somehow gave me its knowledge and that's when Megatron and the Decepticons came after me. When I went to Egypt to help Optimus there was a moment when I died and I somehow spoke to the other Primes, the ones who had guarded to Matrix of Leadership. After all that, the allspark stuff went away and I thought it was all gone, until a couple of weeks ago."

Reliving the past in his mind brought back so many emotions. Most of them were painful, the ones with Mikaela epically so, and they exhausted him.

"I have already made contact with Ratchet, he will meet us tomorrow at dawn and take you from there."

It suddenly occurred to Sam that there were no army members in sight either following behind or in front and it dawned on him that Prowl had most likely broken protocol, for autobots rarely went anywhere unescorted.

"Where are the rest of your team?" He asked abruptly as he tried to piece together the events on how he'd landed in the backseat of Prowl's vehicle-mode.

"They believe I am in pursuit of the Decepticon that was hiding in that little town. We will have meet up with Ratchet by then and I will then return to them. I assumed you did not wish to speak with them or let your presence known as you hid earlier. Was I incorrect in this thought?"

Shocked at Prowl's intuition and observation Sam smiled. "No, thank you."

"You should recharge. It will take several hours before we reach Ratchet's destination." Prowl's continuing attentiveness had Sam blushing and he gently lay himself back down. Though he had slept not too long ago the evenings events had him feeling as if he'd been awake for days. His body still screamed in misery and pain but that was nothing to the thought that he would be able to see Optimus again.

* * *

Yeah! another update soon, I promise :)


	7. Part Six

Been getting some wonderful reviews, thank you so much. I'm pleased the characters are up to scrutiny and will try my best to remain faithful to them.

I so wish transformers were mine but alas ~sob~ they are not.

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Part Six

_Reece_

Getting up in the early hours of the morning was something Reece Stride was familiar and used to. While some might think the work of a psychiatrist was one of a restful and slow moving nature he often had to put himself in their shoes and that was anything but restful. He had found working in the army to be a challenge and something worthwhile, though he had nothing against those who found their comfort in a cushy seat behind a hard polished wooden desk, Reece preferred the rigidity that came with the army pace. And what's more then a challenge then to help fix and reshape those minds damaged or twisted in the defense of ones country?

His current assignment was that of an unusual variety in that the majority of people he was currently counseling were not military personal at all. Instead one might say they were the unfortunate people who happened to be swept into war that wasn't even of their own species.

As Reece looked at his schedule he sighed noting he had the Witwiky boy again and he was tired of continually being blown off. He had on occasion tried catching the boy before he left his classes but he seemed to have a sixth sense and the uncanny ability to hide in plain sight. It was no stretch of thought where he had acquired this ability so Reece often and on too many occasions left the teen to his own thoughts.

Enough was enough however as he noted Sam had began skipping more and more classes, his assignments coming in late, however brilliant his grade was awarded. He couldn't help but think back to when he saw Sam a few days ago, how pale, how drawn he was. They were distressing signs and Reece knew he needed to see Sam before any more changes appeared.

As he made his way onto the college campus Reece made the bold choice in stopping by Sam's dorm room, perhaps he would prove talkative in a more comfortable and familiar environment. Rapping on the door a fresh faced blond teen emitted him before suddenly remembering something extremely important when Reece announced himself and profession. Oh the joys of impressionable minds.

Sam's room was easy enough to find but to his disappointment the boy in question was already gone. What could he be doing at this hour? Classes didn't start for another two hours. Feeling a tinge of worry begin to edge into Reece's well tuned subconscious he returned back to his office to wait Sam out.

He didn't make it to his first class, nor the second and when Reece began to question Sam's classmates they could yield no results. It seemed no one had seen him at all today. Deciding to head back to Sam's room where he could find a scrap of information he wasted no time. The boys living conditions were grim and depressing to say the least. There was dust around the curtains indicating they hadn't been opened in weeks and his bed hardly looked slept in, some old laundry draped over the duchess and some crumpled paper in the bin, otherwise that was it.

Knowing never to miss something as innocuous as a piece of paper Reece fished around the bin and un-scrunched it enough to read, what he saw he couldn't make sense of even if he had a degree in several languages. Being involved in the military's higher up divisions Reece knew Cybertroian Pictographs when he saw them. It was a little unnerving seeming them scribbled so precisely in Sam's tight handwriting however. Reece realized this was the sign he'd been searching for, the one that told him Sam was in trouble and Reece better get his ass into high gear.

* * *

_Ratchet_

Of all the autobots to go off the rails, disobey orders and take a joy ride whilst pulling him onto it, Prowl was the least likely on Ratchet's list and you could guarantee he had one hell of a list. Prowl was more known for his enforcing the rules then breaking them so this was completely out of character. It was probably one of the main reasons why Ratchet was so curious to figure out what he was up.

Currently Ratchet was going faster then he would have liked down a less populated stretch of road but Prowl _had _told him it was for an important urgent reason. Prowl had found something vital, something he suspected needed to be taken care of and protected at all costs with minimal human contact. He had also asked for Optimus but both he and Bumble were currently on mission and wouldn't be back for a couple of days.

An incoming comm beeped for Ratchet's attention and he accepted it seeing it was Prowl, informing him of his current whereabouts just a few minutes away. Picking up the pace Ratchet could finally make out the police cruiser up ahead, leading the way into a particularly thick patch of forestry area.

Wasting no time Ratchet transformed into his robot-mode, a sour expression settled on his face plates. "You better have a dam good reason for dragging me all the fragging way out here! And ditching your human team? You may not have been here that long but they don't happen to like it when we do that!"

Prowl remained oddly mute, still in his alt-mode he made no move to transform. Ratchet didn't like this in the least and to prove his point brought his metal fist slamming down onto Prowl's hood.

With a cry of protest Prowl backed up and his backseat door opened. Ratchet could instantly smell the thick scent of human blood emitting from Prowl and for a moment Ratchet thought he had run someone over. When a thin, pale and haunted looking teenage figure emerged instead Ratchet almost wished Prowl had. There was no mistaking the boy though his appearance had changed rather drastically in the short month he had last seen him.

Sam had trouble standing up; in fact he was leaning rather heavily on Prowl just to stay upright so Ratchet keeled down to Sam's face level for a closer inspection. What he saw had him setting his scanners into a deep examine mode. One of his legs were crudely bound in what appeared to be his shirt, now another colour then what it was originally brought as. His arm, shoulder and back looked like someone had taken several razor knives and tried to sculpt from his flesh. By the colouring in Sam's cheeks, this had happened a few hours ago and as Ratchet knew Prowl wasn't well versed in human biology he knew Sam needed immediate medical aid.

"What is this? What happened?" The questions were tumbling from Ratchet's vocal processors so fast Prowl couldn't get a word in if he tried. "Why did you not take him to a human doctor directly? Where did you find him?"

It was Sam who raised a shaky hand for silence. "It was a Decepticon, I fell asleep and…. I was so careless, the next thing I knew it was chopping me up like sushi and it's not Prowl's fault for not taking me to a doctor that was me. I told him not to."

"Prowl knows better then to follow the advice of a human he just meet." Ratchet scoffed as he continued his scans, unhappy at the results he was getting back. "Or he should. A Decepticon? Where is it now?"

"Oh, uh… I'm not quite sure. I think it took off." Sam looked on unsure as Ratchet reached out his hand but Ratchet's patience had grown rather thin and he wasn't have any of it. With much practice Sam was gently scooped into the air, the next part however was terrifying for the human as Ratchet transformed back into vehicle-mode placing Sam inside his more spacious backseat and firmly locking the doors. To make sure he didn't move around and aggravate his injuries further he wrapped Sam in restraints and filled the inside compartment with a painkiller in gases form.

Though saying nothing Ratchet noticed that Prowl looked rather dejected in this, another trait that was extremely unlike him. He made a mental note to re-check the new bot over once he returned from the mission he had momentarily abandoned.

"You should be getting back." Ratchet commented, "and make sure you find the con who did this!" Not wanting to waste anymore time Ratchet took off not used to people riding along, he wasn't known for his friendly personality but he was known for scanning his riders which oddly enough seemed to put the humans off. All his previous scans came in handy now as he used them to compare Sam's. Sam himself wasn't saying much, most likely in shock from his physical wounds and the drugs now in his system.

"High volume of blood loss, dehydration, malnutrition and the list goes on, Prowl is going to get it when he gets back." Ratchet mumbled to himself. These injuries would need stitching, antibiotics in the least and a lot of time to heal, the boys pain receptors were also extremely high which was most likely the reason he was currently biting his lips and fisting his hands. "Sam?" He asked louder to get the boys attention.

"Hmmmmm." He mumbled back his response dazed by the medication.

"Where you attacked at college? I have not heard of any such incident occurring again."

"Oh, no… I haven't been to my classes today I…" He trailed off seeming to fight for the right words to explain. "I ditched to come find an autobot."

Confused by this explanation Ratchet probed for more information. "Why not come to us? Sam we will always be here if you need help. Bumblebee is getting on my nerves which was why Optimus chose to take him on this mission, he worries that you haven't been around."

Sam struggled slightly wanting to get up but Ratchet was unrelenting. "They wouldn't let me see you guys. I tried to get the shrink they sent me to let me see any of you but he never did anything, I don't think they want me coming and interfering anymore."

"That's ridicules; I never heard such an order. I will make sure they understand your situation personally."

Sam blushed once again by the concern in the mechs voice and continued with the events that had lead to his trek across the country. He let loose the secrets he had been keeping about the allspark sliver that had infiltrated his mind and consumed his daily life until he simply couldn't take it anymore. How he felt the autobots deserved to know what his mind was currently holding and that he didn't trust the military to help him reach them or trust them at all when it came to Cybertroian technology. Describing what happened that day however was another matter. Ratchet was not happy that Sam seemed to have avoided this human Reece who had been sent to help him though Sam did try to get him to understand that he couldn't have, Reece couldn't understand what was happening to him.

With the explanations described as best as Sam's slipping mind could tell they drove the remainder of the way in silence, Sam slipping into a deep sleep. The state of him worried Ratchet to no end, he couldn't believe no other human had picked up on his condition and he wanted to meet this Reece character, who was supposed to look out for Sam yet all he had done was make Sam hide further away.

It was around 4 in the morning when Ratchet quietly pulled into the NEST base, knowing the weakest points (or more knowing where the more pliable humans were stationed who sometimes let him slip by) helped. He made it a point to hide Sam well in case anyone peered into his back seat but he met no trouble.

Thinking he'd gotten away with this little rendezvous clean cut he was sadly mistaken when he pulled into his domain, the med bay, to find Ironhide sniffing around. Of all the nights Ironhide would be found in Ratchet's med bay it had to be this one! And what the hell was he doing in here?

"So there you are, I almost didn't believe Sergent Mikaley when he informed me you'd flown the coup." Ironhide watched Ratchet closely, obviously sensing something was being hidden.

"What are you doing in here?" Came his gruff reply, wanting nothing more then piece and quite. "You're just asking for a check-up."

At the mere mention Ironhide flinched but remained steadfast, where most autobots would now be running, Ironhide knew Ratchet well, hell he even considered them good friends so he knew something important was up. "Are you just gonna keep sitting there or do I have to start firing?"

Grumbling at his stubbornness Ratchet transformed, shifting Sam's form around so as not to wake him. The look on Ironhide's face plates was priceless. "It would be in your best interests if you kept this between us for the moment." Ratchet made sure this was not taken as a request.

"What happened to him?" Ironhide's posture changed instantly as he let Ratchet move freely about his med bay.

"A Decepticon." Not in the mood to explain everything right at that moment Ratchet eased Sam onto a small berth, hooking up various human machines he'd easily learned to operate. What he really needed though was something that Que, one of the recently new arrivals, had been designing. Having discovered that they interacted with humans as often as they did Que had constructed an avatar to interact at their level should the need arise. By connecting their internal comms an autobot could control the human type avatar with ease, for Ratchet it would be the human hands he needed.

Putting it online and gathering the necessary supplies he quickly got to work barley noticing as Ironhide left the room. First the avatar stripped Sam of his garments which were much too big for his frame and Ratchet could easily see the bones protruding underneath his skin. Next he doped the boy with sedatives so he wouldn't feel the alcohol rubdown and assessments of his injuries. Sam was lucky nothing major had been punctured or torn so the avatar was able to cleanly stitch up his flesh. It would defiantly scar however, there was nothing he could do about that. When he was fully satisfied that Sam was getting the nutrients and antibiotics needed he draped the boy modestly and let him sleep in peace.


	8. Part Seven

I've been reading a lot of Transformers fiction lately and came across one in particular which had a disheartening note left by the author. It stated that another writer had accused them of coping their ideas and the writer received a lot of negative comments because of this. I just want to say that my theories in this chapter pertaining to the allspark may indeed be quite similar to others as I guess there are only so many ways to look at it and I have not read all the stories out there. I have in no way to my knowledge copied anyone's ideas and any similarities anyone may find are purely coincidental. I only wish to provide you with a thought provoking story line that for me gives me the closure and understanding that the Transformers movies did not. Lets face it, it had a few plot holes.

Also had a few questions regarding the use of an avatar (used like a puppet not a robot), instead of a holoform, still working out the kinks but I was under the impression that a holoform was a holographic representation of a form (human for this argument) and non-tangible. Thank you DNAkuma512 for helping clear this up for me :) Don't worry I'll make sure it makes some kind of sense in the future chapters!

With that said I hope you enjoy this latest installment and continue to read on as I write on.

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Part Seven

_Sam_

It was difficult for Sam to come to his senses, his mind was in a deep heavy fog as if weighted by lead. He wasn't used to waking up like this so it took some time to pull his thoughts together. He was lying on something cool and hard, not uncomfortable just strangely flat, wide and pulsating. The majority of his body was numb but he could tell his clothes were gone by the touch of the soft sheets draped over him. He didn't remember undressing and he hadn't taken to sleeping with no clothes on lately so this puzzled and concerned him greatly.

He listened for sounds around him but all he could hear was the beeping of machines and the distant hum of voices. Where the hell was he? Slowly opening his eyes they were greeted with the glare of bright lights like shining suns focused right at him and he had to squint to see around the room.

It was huge compared to human standards, wires, tools, various machines and gadgets covering the walls that told Sam immediately that this was the resident of an autobot. His stomach dropped as he recalled the hazy ride in Ratchet's backseat and nothing else after that. It irritated him that Ratchet must have drugged him but on the other hand he was grateful he had managed to end up here in the first place. He honestly didn't think he'd make it before being picked up by the military whom he was sure kept an eye on him even if it was just from afar. ~~Paranoid Thoughts~~

Moving his hands was a more difficult feat then he anticipated as his limbs felt too burdensome to lift. In the end he could only manage wiggling some fingers on his right hand and shifting his head to get a better view. His activities did not go unnoticed however as a man came into view. He had short cropped sleek blond hair and an extremely symmetrical face that displayed no emotions what-so-ever. He wore a basic white outfit, like a surgical getup and his eyes were oddly shiny, like they were made of glass or something.

Sam's heartbeat jumped in alarm and he heard it on the monitor above his head somewhere. The man responded by laying a cold hand on his shoulder and trying to give a reassuring smile, or at least that's what Sam thought he was doing.

"It is alright, try not to move and keep yourself calm." He moved from Sam's view so that Ratchet's face was suddenly filling up his space, his optics trained calmly and sadly on Sam. He shrank back a little feeling very uneasy.

"Ratchet? Where are we? Is this really NEST?" Sam couldn't contain himself, had he really made it? His mind was still mush so he really hoped this wasn't a delusion.

The odd mans smile widened and Sam pulled back at the disturbing sight. "Yes Sam, I was able to sneak you in undisturbed."

"Who are you?" Sam wanted to know as Ratchet surveyed his vitals and finding them satisfactory gave an uncanny shift in his facial plates that Sam could only akin as his own smile.

"That is an avatar. Something Que's been working on. In essence it is currently an extension of myself, a puppet. On its own it does not function until it is linked with an autobot. Que's still working on it though, this is just a prototype."

That sounded a slight creepy to Sam but he didn't comment and instead marveled at the ingenuity. "Who's Que?" Now that he was back in the realm of the autobots his curiosity was peeked. He wanted to meet all the new arrivals and find out what they'd been up to since Egypt.

"He arrived some weeks back along with Prowl, who you already meet, and a few others. I'm sure you can meet them all later." Ratchet waved dismissing the matter. "On the matter with speaking with Optimus Prime however it will have to wait. He and Bumblebee are currently in Tibet on mission, but they should be back in another day, late tomorrow."

"Wait, how long have I been out?" Sam asked concerned

"It has been a day." Ratchet shrugged not seeming that disturbed though Sam's thoughts were another matter.

"A whole day?! What did you give me?"

At Sam's growing agitation the avatar stepped in again, ignoring as Sam tried to slap it away. "It would be best if you tried not to rip your stitches." Sam couldn't disagree with that, he suddenly wanted to take a look at the damage the Decepticon had caused but left that thought until he was alone. He wasn't wearing any clothes after all.

"Ratchet, there was something I wanted to ask you." At the mehcs nod Sam continued, "When the Decepticon attacked me….. I thought I was going to die but….. something happened. There was this blinding light and then it was running off in the other direction. That's how Prowl said he found me, he said he didn't know how but that I was giving off Energon. He could sense where I was"

Ratchet was quite for a few minutes looking deep in thought before answering. "Prowl told me the same thing, and by the looks of the data I have collected on you so far I do have a possible theory. However I believe we should wait for Optimus's return, you still require rest and maintenance."

"Ratchet, I need to know now, this is my body after all. It's from the allspark isn't it?" Sam had already known this but it was good getting it confirmed by the autobot medic.

Ratchet let off a very human sounding sigh. "From what I can understand, you have to realize that the allspark always remained on Cybertron until the wars when it was sent out for protection from those who would use its power for destruction. Its contact was only with our own species so all of this, is unknown."

"Can you take it out? The knowledge I mean." It was the question that meant the most to Sam. He just wanted his mind back the way it had been before, even if that meant a lower mentality it was better then the constant pressure and pain every time he thought. He had seen the movie Rainman.

Shaking his head Ratchet looked thoroughly dejected. "When the allspark was destroyed what was left of our races knowledge was locked away in the slivers it left behind. When you touched it, it was able to detect a storage device, your brain in essence, and to help keep that knowledge alive it gave that information to you. But human minds are not wired the same as ours; they are biochemical and were not meant to have such a vast database simply dumped inside to use the phrase."

"And the energy?" He was almost too afraid to ask.

"I believe some of the knowledge has begun to affect you normal chemical programming, almost like a DNA re-writing. Where your body carries its own electrical charge it is now producing Energon as well. I believe when the Decepticon attacked you your body acted in close proximity to one of our kind and with the stress and state of mind you were under released the energy. It would be interesting to see if you could do this again under different circumstances." He added the last sentence like an after thought.

Sam's brain was beginning to hurt again. He wasn't sure he understood it all but Ratchet seemed fairly certain of his analysis and for the moment that was good enough for him. Perhaps he could make sense of it later, or they could remove it and it wouldn't matter by then. Their conversation was cut short however by a light rap at the door which was odd, seeing as autobots didn't tend to knock it could only mean it was someone human and Ratchet didn't often get human visitors especially at this time in the late afternoon. Before Ratchet could turn them away the door swung open just as the avatar flung Sam's sheets up over his face. A lot of good that would do seeing as Sam was hooked up to all the machines that were informing anyone in the room of his current bodily functions. With everything that had happened and was still happening Sam still had the capacity to feel embarrassed and more then a little uncomfortable lying out like this.

"Hey Ratchet," Came the smooth easy voice of none other then Major William Lennox, "I heard this crazy rumor, and I mean a really crazy piece of gossip, that you slipped out last night, of all nights." Sam listened intently as his footsteps approached the berth both Ratchet and the avatar were still hovering over intently.

"Me? What would I need to sneak out for? I have no time for that sort of nonsense." Ratchet brushed off with ease. Apparently Ratchet had learned the fine art of deceiving humans quite well.

"Oh? That's not what I managed to get out of Sergent Mikaley."

Ratchet was quite for sometime, obviously not happy that he had to cut yet another human to trust off his list before he grumbled a very Ratchet "Fragging humans" under is processors. "It was nothing, one of the twins got loose.."

Lennox let off a snort. "You can do better then that Ratchet. What's going on?" More footsteps and the rustling of fabric, Sam could only guess Lennox was walking around surveying the room. "And who's under there?"

Sam gulped holding in a breath if only out of reflex before the sheet over his head was ripped off and Lennox was staring down at him. He didn't look all that surprised. "Heya Sam, you look like crap." Lennox gave a tight smile that told Sam he already knew some, if not all, of what was going on.

"Major Lennox uh….." Sam unable to think of anything witty to say decided not to say anything.

"So heres the thing, yesterday afternoon Galloway got this interesting call saying** you** Sam, had left campus and stolen a car which by the way was caught on tape." Lennox did not seem particularly happy at that point as Sam winced. "So apparently you ditched the psychiatrist assigned to you, on more then one occasion, drove to some random town and just happened to come across an autobot team on mission. There you managed to somehow convince Prowl, the autobot on assignment, to drive you halfway across the country where you jumped autobots with Ratchet and now here you are."

Sam stared in disbelief. Had it been that obvious to piece together his flight for freedom to see the autobots? But he shouldn't have been so surprised, these guys were Special Forces after all, they had the latest and top secret technology at their disposal and he hadn't been nearly as stealthy as he could have.

"So what was this all about Sam? And don't lie to me, I've had enough of that already." Lennox crossed his arms and gave Ratchet a glare who merely continued his nightly activities in silence, his back half turned, obviously deciding to leave this to Sam to explain.

It did appear that Lennox knew almost everything however he failed to understand one thing, the reasoning driving Sam and his actions. The problem was that though Sam trusted Lennox with his life; did he trust him with the truth? He was still a part of the army and thus the government after all, would he reveal Sam's secrets if asked by someone he couldn't refuse?

This was Lennox though, and if there was any human he could trust, it was this man. "I started getting real bad headaches a couple of weeks ago, I'm sure you remember when the allspark downloaded all that stuff into my mind? Apparently it came back and I needed to talk to the autobots about it. I asked that physicist if he could set up a meeting but it was pretty clear he had no intention and I couldn't sit still anymore." Propping himself up to explain this Sam groaned as he moved his leg, heavy with bandages.

"You OK?" Lennox looked him over clearly not knowing _everything _much to Sam's relief.

"Yeah, there was a Decepticon involved, that's were I meet Prowl." He merged a few half truths and lies, no need to tell Lennox about that energy light thing for the moment. "It spotted me and tried to tear me apart, then Prowl jumped in out of nowhere and rescued me, contacted Ratchet and that's what I remember. I think Ratchet drugged me." He added despondently.

Lennox turned to Ratchet, discontent evident in his expression. "How bad is he?"

"The wounds were deep but nothing vital was severed. The avatar was able to assist me in his repairs." Ratchet replied rather non-descriptive.

"Why the hell didn't you take him to a medic? A human medic? Oh…. You didn't want anyone to see him."

"Sam asked his presence here be kept quite until he had the opportunity to speak with Optimus. I was able to mend his wounds, he has been fully treated; I do not see the issue here." Ratchet growled back.

Another lie on Ratchet's part, oh he was good.

"That's not the point, you know the rules here and you've blatantly disobeyed several of them and you haven't even given me a good reason. So let me get this straight, Prowl discovered a Decepticon where Sam here got in the way. Instead of letting the medics attend him and capturing the con, Prowl let him go and drove several hours across country to meet up with you where you sneak him on base and had this prototype avatar here patch him up. Is that everything?"

Both Sam and autobot remained silent.

"Well I hope you have a better explanation to tell Galloway, or he'll tear you up worse then that Decepticon." And with that Lennox stormed out of the med bay leaving Sam with the distinct impression he'd really let Lennox down. But he wouldn't go to Galloway, would he?

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As always hoped you enjoyed :)


	9. Part Eight

So I know you've been waiting and it was difficult writing this chapter, I was one way then the other so I hope it makes sense and it's something that the characters would actually do :) Big big turning points coming up, its starting to get messy.

I don't own any of the Transformers stuff however much I may like to delude myself in thinking

Ready for another...

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Part Eight

_William Lennox_

This was turning out to be a really bad day for the Major, highly respected in all operations of NEST currently, and he had to wonder sometimes if the job was even worth it for what the autobots put him through no a day to day basis. At the moment he was at a standstill as to what he was supposed to do with the information he'd just acquired. It wasn't yet known to the rest of the people still searching for Sam that he was right under there noses this minute, Lennox had made sure the Sergent who'd let him know about Ratchet's sudden comings and goings to their compound would keep his mouth shut to anyone else. He felt kinda bad for the guy with how he treated him in order to get the information in the first place but he'd needed to know before anyone else to stop it from becoming much, much worse.

Sam's excuses were that he was waiting for Optimus but Lennox honestly didn't think he could keep hidden that long, sure Ratchet had done a good job of it so far but if Lennox could track him down just like that someone else was also sure to. Reece and his superiors with whom he was working were the ones who had discovered Prowl's involvement up to the point Ratchet had joined in. Apparently they had tracked the stolen car to the town Prowl was on assignment and had recovered a backpack in an alleyway that contained Sam's personal documents and a sizable pool of his blood smeared around the area. Seeing as Prowl had gone AWOL for several hours with only a feeble explanation of trying unsuccessfully to catch the Decepticon, he had already been called in for questioning but it hadn't gone very well, Prowl had been most uncooperative and was now on standby for all missions until they got down to the bottom of things.

It wasn't an easy decision and it tore him up inside as he continued to fight it but it had to be done, Galloway and Reece had to be informed that Sam was already here, otherwise it would just be someone else a little while later. This way he might be able to help the teen out if the others trusted him; he just hoped Sam had that same faith in him, that he was there to help the kid and there were that many others pulling for him.

Knocking heavily at Galloway's office door he could hear a heated discussion inside and debated coming back later until the door flew open by none other then Galloway himself, red faced and extremely unhappy. "Do you have something to report?" He questioned irritably and Lennox spied Reece, the physiatrist he'd been introduced to earlier that day, on the other side of the room. What had they been arguing about?

Stepping inside he nodded and Galloway shut the door behind him. "I've just been informed that Sam is here, on the base sir." Lennox watched with amusement as Galloway's eyes bulged in astonishment and feeling that pang of guilt.

"When did this happen? How the hell did he get in?"

"Apparently it was Ratchet who managed to sneak him in and he claimed to not realize it was against protocol." Lennox bit his lip and crossed his fingers on that one, but Galloway didn't usually pick up when Lennox spun a few tails.

"Ratchet? He's the autobot medic isn't he?" Reece asked not seeming that well versed in autobot affairs.

Lennox nodded. "Yeah, Sam had a little bit of an accident and refused to let Ratchet take him to a proper doctor so Ratchet treated him instead."

"You've been to see him?" Galloway snapped.

"Only to verify what one of my Sergeants told me to be accurate." Lennox would rather not give names and thankfully Galloway didn't ask.

"What kind of accident?" Reece questioned clearly concerned. Lennox had to wonder if Sam had been over exaggerating his dislike for this man, he genuinely seemed concerned for Sam's welfare.

At this point there was no need in lying so he laid out the events that Sam had described to him, knowing full well that Sam had omitted several important aspects. When mentioning that Sam had fled Reece's help in favor of trying to find the autobots because of the returning allspark knowledge, that instantly got both of their attention.

"So the allspark knowledge that sent him on that wild chance across the glob last month and being hunted by the Decepticons for that Matrix is back now?" There was a hungry glint in Galloway's eyes that Lennox didn't like one bit. Like he'd just gotten his hands on a prized possession and wouldn't let go for anything.

"Its looks so Sir." He replied quietly.

It was Reece that surprised Lennox with his own thoughts. "I can see that Sam has quite a bond with these autobots, more so then I realized which explains why he never seemed to open up to me or anyone for that matter. I'm not particularly sure that's healthy for someone his age who's been through what he has to cling onto these creatures like this. I think he needs to be separated from them and given the help he needs."

"It was the autobots technology that did this to Sam in the first place, don't you think they'd be best to handle it?" Lennox shot back not liking Reece's suggestions. He could see how that would turn out and he doubted it would paint a pretty picture.

"I think the doctor knows what he's talking about Major." Came the warning voice of Galloway and Lennox had to tighten his fists to refrain form arguing back how foolish, how thoughtless they were being. This was _Sam_ they were talking about not some piece of meat.

"Alright then, I'll have some people go and collect the boy now and take him to the infirmary so they can look him over. Reece I'm sure you'll want to talk with him, try getting him to listen. I recall him to be quite a stubborn young man." Galloway turned to Lennox who nodded not trusting his voice at that moment. "Make sure things go smoothly, no need to make a spectacle."

* * *

_Sam_

It took only an hour for Major Lennox to return and tottering behind him an ensemble of doctors, soldiers and Reece himself. So that's how it was, that was the side Lennox had chosen to take and it hit Sam hard, harder then he thought.

Sam could hear as they marched through the autobot hanger, in order to get to the med bay, that they were not met with welcome from several of the autobots currently there. There was hooting, catcalls and a string of profanity and Sam had to wonder if they knew what was going on, he'd never heard them act this way they were usually a bit more respectful and they liked Lennox after all.

The med bay doors were unceremoniously shoved open, armed soldiers at the forefront to keep the peace but it was Reece who quickly came to Sam's side, always compassionate always worried though Sam wanted nothing to do with him.

"Sam, it's good to see you alive, you have a lot of concerned people scared." He placed what he thought was a reassuring hand on Sam's shoulder but he flinched away. "It's alright, there are some doctors here to take care of you, apparently you had another close encounter with a Decepticon?"

"I'm fine where I am thanks; Ratchet's taken care of everything." Sam looked over in time to see the autobot medic arguing intensely with Lennox as the avatar was shut down, most likely to stop Ratchet from attacking the humans on their level because Sam had never seen the mech in such an irate state.

"Though extremely intelligent Ratchet isn't a human doctor Sam." Reece chided, his voice beginning to grate at Sam's mind. "You need people who have been trained for this, we're all here to help you but it does go both ways."

Did Reece really believe the bull coming out of his ass? Did the soldiers around him? Did they even listen or were they hushed by the persistence and caring tone, nodding like trained monkeys?

Reece motioned to the doctors who seemed to swarm Sam all at once. They pulled at the devices Ratchet had hooked up to him and the monitors above him went dead. One guy, dark short hair piercing blue eyes and a bit of age on his face, gave the orders as the group pulled the I.V lines and lifted Sam onto their waiting stretcher. Knowing it was futile and unable to put up much resistance anyway, all Sam could do was twist and watch with angry eyes and a foul mouth.

Lennox and Ratchet continued to argue as Sam left the confines of the autobot med bay, being wheeled humiliatingly into the barrage of autobots in their hanger, the place they temporarily called home. Where Sam thought it had been a spectacle before; this was when the shit really hit the fan.

Unsurprisingly it wasn't just Prowl, Ratchet and Ironhide who had known of Sam's presence but all of the autobots. Somehow, either by one or all of those mechs, the entire entourage of autobots had been quietly informed of the majority of circumstances and were not pleased, to say the least that Sam was now being dragged around against his will. Indeed they seemed intently ruffled and unwilling to sit still.

Sam instantly spotted Prowl in the crowd of mechanical bodies, though transformed he was unmistakable. Sam's eyes meet Prowls optics and in his mind he screamed that this was not what he wanted. Sam didn't want to be hauled off to God knows where, never seeing the light of day, used and prodded until the day he died, and he knew then that Prowl would do everything in his power to help. It gave him a momentary surge of hope, the belief that all of this could turn out positive. It was then that he also wished BumbleBee were there too, Bee would give the soldiers a show and he was mentally kicking Lennox for not waiting at least a little while longer.

As the group of humans headed for the hanger exit a large group of autobots shifted on mass to converge at the front of the doors creating a barrier for which none could get through. This show alone spoke to Sam in ways he could never explain, that they cared for him like this was heart wrenching, he hoped they didn't get in trouble because of it because in the end he feared this was a lost cause, they already had him.

"Move aside Ironhide, Sam needs to be taken to the infirmary." One of the soldiers warned the large black autobot who stood forefront and centre right next to Prowl who didn't for a moment take his optics from Sam's shaking form.

"Why don't you let Sam decide for himself, he was the one who came here on his own volition. Does he not have the right to make his own choices?" Ironhide shot back defending Sam admirably.

"I don't know if you've noticed or understand but Sam is injured in more then just the psychical sense." Reece stood his ground speaking for Sam where he thought the teen couldn't. He wanted to slap the man upside his face, how the hell could **he **know ANYTHING? How many sessions had they actually had together? "We're here to help him, we don't mean him any harm and if you were truly a friend as you claim to be you would see that."

"Have you even asked him?" The tone of annoyance in Prowl's voice matched Ironhides pitch for pitch.

Not answering that question Reece patiently asked the soldiers to handle the situation, though they were having no such luck. As voices rose and postures became rigid the atmosphere in the room grew overwrought with tension to the point Ironhide began brandishing his cannons in a rather vocalized manner. It wouldn't take much to rouse the other autobots into the same position. It didn't matter what the instigator was, they rallied at each others sides.

Lennox, having just emerged from the med bay with Ratchet in tow, jumped immediately into the situation.

"IRONHIDE, PUT THOSE WEAPONS AWAY!" His voice no louder then anyone else's but able to carry that threat no one wanted to ignore, all eyes were quickly turned to both Ironhide and Lennox as the two comrades faced off. Not often at odds it was a difficult sight to watch as they challenged each other both begging in theirs eyes for the other to back down. It was Ironhide who gave first.

"What is going on?" Lennox demanded looking at each of the disobeying autobots in turn.

"Why is Sam being taken against his will?" Prowl stepped forth getting as close to the teen as aloud.

"He's hurt Prowl, you know that better then anyone, they just want to check him over." Lennox explained.

"I thought Ratchet was doing that?" Sideswipe commented from the back.

"The human doctors want to look him over ok? Now if you kindly move, the faster Sam can come and see you all later." Lennox wasn't entirely sure on that last part but what else was he supposed to say? If he hadn't he doubted they would simply give in, they seemed extremely protective of Sam lately.

"I have refreshed myself in your human rules and regulations and it is the human's right to refuse help from those they do not want it from." Prowl added the last words with a hiss, like steam rising before an eruption.

"I'm not going to ask you again Prowl, back off." Lennox took a step forward, a slight shake in his posture that surprised Sam. Would he take them down if he had to? Would he order the autobots controlled and contained all because of him? He couldn't do this; he wouldn't let this happen all because of him. It needed to stop now.

* * *

Please don't hate me, I really like torturing Sam's soul.


	10. Part Nine

I know I know, I'm really putting the humans to shame in here but I'm not including everyone in that section, honestly, they're just trying to do what _they _think is best regardless of if it _is _ the best. Unfortunately as far as I know Ratchet didn't have much interaction with human medicine no matter how many times I looked through the movies (and even some of the later cartoons) they _did _tend to leave that for the humans and I'm guessing (though who can know?) that said autobot hasn't had a lot of opportunity to work on live patients :( (_scratches chin and head turns towards another story ~~SLAP~~ No, focus!)_

So as you know I don't own Transformers (if I did I'd probably live in my ridiculous top of the line with everything in it car)

Ready and waiting for another...

* * *

Part Nine

_Optimus Prime_

The mission in Tibet had been a long and tediously uneventful one, if anything could be said Prime couldn't have picked a better partner to accompany him and show why he had chosen Bumblebee to watch over Sam as his guardian when they had first arrived. Though Bumblebee lacked experience he had a natural instinct when it came to hunting down Decepticon allegiants and this Optimus found to be a useful skill. He was at that moment, proud of the younger scout, knowing he would have flourished before the war took everything they had.

However their return back to base had been hurried along due to an incident that was rapidly growing out of hand. The director, Theodore Galloway, hadn't specified why but Optimus could tell he waited for their return rather anxiously. Where Galloway kept his reasoning vague and simply demanded he keep his inferiors in line, Optimus's autobot team members did not and he was soon contacted by both Ironhide, Prowl and Ratchet who gave him a more broad analysis of the situation.

It disheartened him to find the human boy Sam was once again at the center of things and not in a positive way. Though Optimus's would have enjoyed seeing him again, and he knew he could agree the same would be said for Bumblebee, he would rather it not be under the circumstances in which Sam was currently facing. Not wanting to reveal too much over their transmissions Ratchet hadn't said much only that he, along with the help of Prowl, had intercepted the boy when he'd come looking for an autobot as he was faced with the fact the knowledge from the allspark appeared to have re-emerged making his life one of misery and distress. Sam had specifically asked that none of the other humans know about this as he feared they would take him away and try to decipher the information before he could give it to its true owners. That alone only showed Optimus again and again Sam's bravery and unwavering trust in their kind but he was then faced with the ultimate dilemma that this was not how Galloway would see it, even if he had all the facts. Galloway's thoughts tended to go one certain side.

As the hours ticked by and they finally touched down on the Earths soil, that's when the shrieking over the cons really started up. True to Lennox's training he had discovered Sam's hiding location in the autobots med bay and reported the injured boy to his superiors who were now removing Sam, by force if you listened to the way Ironhide and Prowl were screeching to him, with the autobots conducting an intervention of some kind. They would not let the doctors take him away when he had stated he didn't want to leave, further more they agreed he could not **be **in better hands then with Ratchet (they were even admitting that out loud) so why were they removing the boy at all?

Transforming into his alt-mode and revving his engines, the yellow scout hot on his heels, they hastily sprinted to their hanger in the hopes to calm the situation down before any serious actions were taken in the heat of the moment. Optimus snorted humanly as he recognized the twins Mudflap and Skids apparently on lookout outside surrounded by several guards not sure what to do. Though not yet causing any damage they were impeding the soldier's entrance with a display of what could be called their usual nutty violence. They ceased promptly on Optimus's command and parted and he ordered Bumble to make sure it stayed that way.

Shouting form several members inside blasted at his receptors as the doors opened and he quite literally stumbled into the ensuing shouting match. It hadn't yet become physical but had Optimus not arrived when he did he feared it would have.

"Autobots, calm yourself!" His order dispersed in haste the humans and the mechs to opposite sides of the room. He was somewhat ashamed at that moment for the autobots behavior; it was easy for arguments to escalate with humans seeing as they were such physically different species and as such had many conflicting ideals.

His first look at Sam sent waves of anguish and distress through his spark. How could the humans have let him deteriorate this way? He had lost significant body mass since his departure only a month ago, his bones protruding unhealthy under his skin which had taken on a sickly shade of grey. The humans had every right to worry over him. Ratchet had admitted to Optimus while he was on route that the boy wasn't in the best of conditions, but this was mostly due to the fact that he hadn't been caring for himself properly and also maybe (but not yet fully known) the effects of the other matter he wished so urgently to discuss. After Sam had healed from his wounds, began eating regularly and got out in the sun Ratchet was optimistic is would help return his health.

As Sam caught sight of Optimus his eyes brightened immensely and Optimus could have swore he felt a quiver of energy pulse through the air. Optimus could sense something so familiar from the boy and yet it was also something new. In any case Optimus had just moments to let the situation sink in around him, knowing it would surly stop his spark to look at Sam again once he uttered these words. He was the leader after all and it was these decisions that tore him apart.

"Autobots you will all stand down, now let the humans pass." His orders had the effect of shock and disbelief and he just couldn't bring himself to look at the boy, at this comrade who had put everything in getting here to see Optimus, with which he would now turn away. Would the boy ever forgive this decision? The fact was Optimus's hands were tied. This was (as Galloway would see it as no other) a human issue, Galloway had been trying to make clear to him, that their human doctors had researched such Cybertroian techno interactions (Optimus wondered where they'd gotten that from seeing as Ratchet was quiet about such things) and it did not matter that Sam was as close to many of the autobots as humans could be and that Ratchet assured him** he** was the best suited to take care of Sam in his current state as his condition pertained an understanding of Cybertroian technology that they could not possibly know, but Galloway would listen to none of it. He was oddly raving.

"OPTIMUS!" Came the wrenching cry that Optimus couldn't bare as the humans filed gratefully outside and out of sight as the autobots stared incredibly at their leader. He could still hear the cries of outrage, confusion and incredulity through the comms.

"Sir, he begged me not to let them take him away. He feared for his freedom should they find he was staying here. I do not understand why they won't let Ratchet take care of him." Prowl was the first to approach him, teetering trust settling in his optics.

"There was no other choice to be made. The humans were relentless in the notion they be given the opportunity to check Sam and we, as guests, have no rights when it comes to human affairs as Galloway made perfectly clear to me. We have to trust the humans know what they are doing and should they require help that they will ask for it, this is their planet, Sam is one of their own." His words reigned final and the bots shuffled off one by one, some still seething but Optimus felt they understood somewhat even if they didn't like it. "Ratchet, Prowl, I need to speak with you both. You must tell me everything you know, everything that happened."

They hastily clambered into the med bay shutting the doors behind them before Ratchet returned to his screens bringing up everything he had been able to deduce with the help of Prowl so far.

"It is unquestionable that the effect the allspark had on Sam has returned Optimus, however its consequence seems to have changed." Ratchet began as the autobot leader listened with rapt attention. "Some of the knowledge has returned though as Sam describes it, mostly in bits and pieces. My true concern is the display and burst of Energon Energy Prowl depicted when he retrieved him. I have thoroughly scanned Prowl and can detect no lasting effects with close contact; I would need to also scan the Decepticon to know more of direct exposure but he has yet to be found."

"What about Sam? How is his body able to handle this?" Optimus had to know. He was certain it would break his spark if Sam were to only become sicker should this transformation be unstoppable.

"He is weak though I cannot properly ascertain if this is due to his inability to take care of himself or the cause of this…. change. If I cannot observe him further Optimus I may not know. What were you thinking handing Sam over?" Ratchet was known for his crass bold opinions; it was what made him a good medic. But he was not someone who knew the terms of something called a compromise. For Ratchet, his orders were followed regardless if a bot liked it or not, no options, while on Optimus's side he had recently had to give up the majority of decisions made to the humans as the autobots remained guests on a planet that was not theirs.

"I will not let them harm him Ratchet, my word on that is final. For now we must wait and be patient, that goes for all of you." He eyed Prowl rather sternly and hoped Bumblebee would also heed his warning.

* * *

_Sam_

He was so heavy. The body his mind was presently attached to seemed so foreign to him, so weighty it sank so incredibly deep into a bottomless nothing he was certain he could never pull himself up again. His mind, when he could string thoughts together, was slow, sluggish, debilitating that he forgot and struggled just to understand. Where was he? Who was he? What was happening?

He didn't know how long it had been but when Sam regained the ability to think, when he came to reflect on the past and the actions he and others had made, a hole had materialized inside his heart. A hole that permeated so dreadfully within his soul, the corners of his vision seemed dark, inviting. It hurt. It hurt to think, it hurt to feel, his physical pain was nothing to this soul shattering.

The injuries acquired by the rouge Decepticon had healed a significant amount, the only indicator of time he had to go by. Ratchet's thoughtfully applied bandages had been cut away, his flesh pushed back in shape by professionals but still so jagged and ruptured, it would never be the same. All this and Sam couldn't have cared less. What did any of it matter now that he was, in all intense purposes, a prisoner he had so feared to be?

Sometime later Reece made his first appearance. He sat by Sam's bedside and spoke to him about something, Sam didn't pay attention. What was the point, Reece had his toy and Galloway had his prize. What was wrong with people like them or were they normal and he the oddity?

Not put off Reece was determined to help Sam break through his 'depression'. It was so oddly amusing that the only reason for said 'depression' was the fact that he was locked away like this. Reece truly believed he was trying to help the boy but he just didn't comprehend, he didn't seem able to understand that Sam needed the autobots. To Reece this seemed a preposterous idea, that any human could connect or form that kind a connection to a machine for that is the way he truly saw the autobots. It meant he was mentally unwell. So foolish. And yet with Reece acting as Sam's proxy, Sam had no say in the decisions. Reece decided everything for him.

By visit four Reece had begun cutting back on the heavy medication Sam had been put on. Though he could feel his fingers and toes again it was a challenge to move much, his muscles had atrophied from disuse that he needed help to hold a cup of water to his lips. He tried his best to regain use of his body every moment he was given alone but he doubted he could stand, let alone run for any break he saw.

One night as he rested his eyes, glad at the lightness in medication giving him the chance to think, he heard but barely a whispered conversation. He thought the voice might belong to Lennox and that alone had his teeth compressed together. He was speaking to Reece and they were arguing, trying their best to keep it down and unheard.

"….did you know?" Lennox asked his voice seemingly angered.

"I recommended it." Reece replied unfazed.

"Without even telling him? Don't you think he'll want to know you're shipping him off? What am I supposed to tell the autobots? Galloway barley keeps them informed as it is and they're getting restless."

"I'm sure you can break it to them gently, but this is about Sam's welfare. He isn't doing well here; he needs a change of pace, somewhere else to recover."

"What he needs is to be around the autobots, they've already offered their services a multiple times and all you've done is slap them away. What about the deal you made with Optimus? That Optimus could talk with him alone and Ratchet could check in on him. You can't just ignore that. You want him to open up? By doing this he'll shut down even more, I'm telling you….."

"I understand you feel for this boy, but I've seen this before, perhaps not with these exact circumstances but with similar conditions. Now I know this has been extremely painful for you all but I am doing this on his behalf."

The room was silent again and Sam heard their footsteps move on. Everything in his life was being slowly but surly trampled on until he had nothing to hold onto. It was almost as if this systematic assault was there to break him until he could stand it no more and gave them what they wanted, what they were after all along.

Whatever Lennox's intentions were now it didn't matter. Sam had depended on him, had told him secrets and trusted him only to have his friend, the one man he had looked up to, stab him in the back. He had run straight to Galloway and informed him of everything leading to his forceful capture. A part of himself had shattered when he realized this. Hearing him now, in a way he felt he understood Lennox did care but it was difficult for Sam to see past that.

And then there was Optimus. Sam had crossed deserts, had run into ongoing battle and given the autobot everything he had asked of him. When Optimus had turned away from him, when Sam had called to him to stop this and Optimus had just…. He cracked. Optimus would just let him go? Would let these people take him away who didn't have a clue as to what was really happening. His mind was without hope, without any faith that someone could help him now. That anyone wanted to.

With all of this there was only one thing he could think to do. One thing left to him, one thing not anyone could take from him for the moment. He would not subjugate himself to this torture any further; he would show Reece the defiance he had from the beginning that no matter how much he was drugged and forced, they couldn't control him. He would never be theirs.

* * *

Oh Dear God, where do I go from here?


	11. Part Ten

Oh Crapsicles! I'm so terribly sorry I so stupidly uploaded the wrong chapter! (_Repeatably bashes head against keyboard_) For all those confused, scratching their heads thinking they missed something, that would be why! I'll upload the other as well, so double the delight I'm hoping. Better get my writing fingers on this weekned coz there went my back up chapter!

Just so you know this chapter contains self harm for all those who don't like that kinda thing, so sorry, Sam made me do it!

* * *

Part Ten

_Sam_

In the early hours of whatever day this was, Sam had a plan. It wasn't actually really a plan where schemes have been meticulously thought through and weak points identified and changed accordingly. No, this was more or less a plan to try to get that thick headed, mentally unmovable self appointed head shrink of his to listen to what Sam's heart and mind were telling him. He could scream all he wanted but he needed Reece to take him seriously. Escape was the solution that would only have them hunting him down until he was inevitability caught and he couldn't bring himself to involve the autobots, he wasn't sure Optimus would allow it regardless what his fellow soldiers said.

It was a bad plan, he knew that, and he was sure the autobots would take it the wrong way though he wasn't sure they even knew what was going on with him at the moment. He hadn't seen them for days and when he asked Reece about them he gave Sam this sad pity look and whenever Sam saw that he got angry, infuriated and so frustrated. Reece didn't see the autobots like they were their own kind of people too, that they had feelings on their own species level.

"Are you ready to try something solid?" Reece asked staring at Sam intently, always watching. A nurse pushed the curtain aside and pulled around a moveable table, resting the food up near Sam's face.

"I think it might be easier to eat if you didn't have those restraints." Reece bent over and tugged at his binds, binds that had been secured the moment they'd gotten him in bed. It was a show of trust, a feeble, weak gesture to tell Sam that if he cooperated, it would get better. Like hell it would.

To shut Reece up and help fill that gaping hole in his gut Sam took several slow small bites from the heavy broth while taking the time and care to summarize his surroundings with conviction, anything would work. From that he spied a set of scissors tucked almost out of sight in the trolley the nurse had wheeled around with his morning breakfast. Though Reece was still keeping an eye on him form the other side of the room, Sam summarized it was his only opportunity, his one last choice perhaps that he would ever make.

Hunching down in the bed he discreetly reached out his hand, his limbs still so numb but he was able to snatch the handle and pull it to him. It was in his grasp! He lay there; his heart began hammering violently as it hid beneath the folds of his sheets. Now he just needed Reece's unwavering attention which was easy enough to get.

His stomach rolled queasily at the food he'd ingested and he aggressively shoved the tray away, the remainder of its contents scattering across the clean washed floors. The sound of tin on tile was ear-splitting and heads snapped his way. He clutched at the instrument as Reece bounded over, a disapproving gaze in his eyes.

Now Sam would make his move. Sam raised the instrument above the exposed tender flesh at his wrist, flicking the blades open and holding it so close it nicked him and a trail of blood dropped down his arm to stain the sheets. "Have I got your full attention now? DON'T MOVE!" He shouted the last part as a few orderlies made a move to grab him. The nervousness in the room quivered and he knew he had to say his piece fast.

"Sam, don't do this. Don't go down this road, the autobots….."

Sam promptly interrupted him. "YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE AUTOBOTS! You're not listening to me, you keep telling me and everyone around here you're here to help me but all you've done is ignore me and deny the fact that the autobots know more then you, then everyone on this base!" His hands shook at the words he was letting unleash which had been suppressed for too long. The scissors dug deeper but he could barely feel it as he continued.

"I came to _**them **_for help because this has everything to do with them and their technology. It has to do with the knowledge of _their_ species, _their_ history so there's no way in whatever you're thinking that _**you **_can help me 'get through this'. By keeping me from the autobots you're only making this worse and them agitated I'd guess so why can't you just get off this high horse you're sitting on and actually _**LISTEN **_to what I am telling you? Take me to Optimus."

Reece sighed running his hands through his frizzy hair. "It isn't that simple."

"How can it not be? They're just on the other side of the base right?" Sam shot back.

"Until I find you mentally fit you have controlled visitors. Your parents are still trying to be located but they aren't making it easy." Sam was glad for once they'd taken his advice and fallen off the map for awhile until everything died down. "And Galloway has given orders that the autobots are to stay clear for the time being."

"So this is all politics? You're Galloway's bitch? Your nothing more then a hypocrite! All this talk about helping me doesn't really mean anything!"

Reece flinched but didn't refute the accusation. "Regardless of how balanced you think you are that is not the point Sam. My goal _is _to help you in the best way I believe is possible but I also have certain orders I need to follow because of your circumstances and the autobots are out."

"Then you're no better then Galloway himself." It was no small guess as to why Galloway was doing this, the man was power crazy and what Sam presented was a treat too tasty to ever pass up, which meant there was only one way this could go.

This wasn't really what he wanted. He wanted to stay, to help the autobots by giving them all he had, not just the knowledge the allspark sliver had relinquished to him but to be by there sides and fight with them. Unfortunately it did not appear that future was possible now, but he would not allow Galloway and Reece what _they _wanted. This was is sacrifice.

Sam gripped the scissors with all the strength he had and plunged it deep within his wrist.

* * *

_Ratchet_

It was another day, another day without contact, without knowing what was accurately occurring to the boy who had thrown himself into Ratchet's care. It had been a total of seven and a half days since Sam had been taken into the humans' custody and treatment and not one autobot had since heard word from him. Sure, they got the supposed update on his condition that he was continuing to recover, his injuries from the Decepticon they had been unable to track down were healing and the head doctor Reece was assisting in Sam's mental recovery.

Ratchet had delved deep into the seemingly endless knowledge of human medicine, filling his processors with as such information as he could muster. Reece's particular field of psychiatry however was beyond even Ratchet's compression, these were human emotions after all, and he was only one autobot trying to make sense of the confounding contradictions. Still, this did not sit well with him. He didn't believe Sam was mentally ill as Reece claimed instead Sam had been exceptionally clear headed when Ratchet had spoken with him.

Optimus had been acting strangely since the day he had ordered the autobots stand down. Ratchet could sense his sudden loss of direction, as though he questioned the choice he had made. He understood though, it was the only one he could have made with all that was happening. The problem was that Optimus trusted the humans and Ratchet wasn't sure it was the right decision, not those humans at least.

Shuffling around aimlessly in med bay for the umpteenth day his incessant thought processing was interrupted as he received a surprisingly abnormal visit from Lennox. He didn't come by often recently and Ratchet took this to mean that he had information about the boy.

"It's about time you came around, so what's the news?" Ratchet asked jumping straight at anything he could get a hold of.

The expression on Lennox's face was an odd one, one Ratchet didn't like in the least. Something unpleasant had happened, of that he was certain.

"I'm not sure if you noticed the commotion early this morning?" He began, looking intently at Ratchet.

"Humans were running around as normal. But I assume this was different?"

Lennox nodded at Ratchet's observation. "I doubt you'll be informed, but I think you deserve to know…. Sam tried to kill himself this morning."

It was a sharp stab at his spark that had him clutching his chest plate. Sam had….. But he was still alive if all Lennox had said was that he'd _tried _to offline. "How is he? How could you have let this happen?" It pained Ratchet to ask but he had to know, he had to know everything.

"If I'd have thought he would do _anything _of the sort I would have informed you earlier." Lennox shot the medic a scowl. "I found out last night that Galloway had plans put in place to have Sam moved to another facility. I confronted Reece and discovered it was he who had suggested it, but I don't think he's doing it out of spite or that he doesn't want Sam ever associating with you guys again. I believe he truly thinks that by getting Sam away from all this will help him regain some sense or normalcy. Galloway on the other had has different plans and I think that once Reece's job is done, we won't see Sam again." Lennox looked terribly torn as he recited this, another debating their past actions regarding this priceless human child. "Galloway doesn't intend to keep up his end of the deal he and Optimus made when Optimus agreed to hand Sam over without resistance and leave him be. I may work in a sense for him, for this country, but I can't just sit by and watch that kid disappear. He gave up everything to make the right choice and I think the only reason he tried to take his life was because he knew what was happening and couldn't see any other way out."

"If this is true, Sam does need to be taken from here." Ratchet lowered his head his mind already planning, already plotting. They had gotten it the other way around, it wasn't the autobots Sam should have been removed from, it was the humans. There was nothing that could doubt him regarding this now.

"What do you mean?" Lennox demanded. "You're gonna let them take him away?"

"Not exactly." He couldn't say anything else but he needed help to do what he was orchestrating to undertake, he needed volunteers, distracters, saboteurs and he needed them yesterday.

"Well whatever you're thinking, you better count me in." Lennox folded his arms as if there was no way Ratchet could argue with that. And he didn't.

Knowing he had little time to organize Ratchet sent Lennox back out to gather as much information as quickly as possible about Sam's condition and when the other humans planned to move him while Ratchet commed a few autobots he knew would follow his lead. In less time it should have taken to cross the compound from their various positions and at their assigned tasks he had Prowl, Bumblebee and Ironhide gazing around his med bay with trepidation. Obviously they had all been able to sense something was up and knew Ratchet would know.

"I've called you here because I need your immediate assistance regarding Sam. I would prefer it if you didn't contact or tell Optimus anything I am about to divulge. If you have a problem with this, I suggest you leave now." Ratchet couldn't help but glance briefly at the youngest bot who had been the closest thing to Sam before all of this but followed Optimus without hesitation.

Bumblebee seemed to gist they were waiting for him to either protest or leave. He couldn't though, not for this human, not for Sam. He knew for a fact that Optimus's decisions regarding Sam lately were fighting inside of him and he knew weather Optimus commended or condemned their actions in whatever this situation was, he would accept it was necessary for Sam's survival.

"I will say nothing, Sam is still and will always be my charge."

Ratchet nodded and began. "Lennox has just informed me not half an hour ago that while in the humans' care Sam tried to offline." There were gasps of upset and alarm from each of the autobots but Ratchet hastily quietened them needing to speak. "This happened sometime early this morning and I can assume by your reactions that not one of us was informed, which means the humans have most likely been keeping information form us since the beginning. Lennox also learned that Reece and Galloway planned to move Sam to another unknown location before Sam did this. Lennox and I both agreed that Sam most likely discovered this information as well and took action in the only way he could to prevent them from using him. Prowl already knows what I am talking of, that they wish to extract the allspark knowledge from Sam's mind."

"Then they are no better then Megarton. But I thought you had determined the allspark knowledge had been taken, erased." Bumblebee questioned.

"That is why Sam came here Bumblebee, to tell us it had returned." Ratchet nodded.

"So I can only assume you called us here because you want us to help get Sam away from the humans, right?" Ironhide had a smirk forming on his face, a smirk usually only seen before he entered battle.

"That is what I am asking. I intend to take Sam far away from here so he can recover and make his own decisions which he tried to do in the first place." Ratchet could only hope they had enough time before plans changed. No doubt that Reece character would want to move Sam ASAP.

"You don't even need to ask, just tell me what you want me to do." Prowl gave a thumbs up looking positively elated. "You do have a plan right?"

"That's where I was hoping your expertise could help." Ratchet tapped at one of the numerous screens on the wall for information access, designed for autobot use. "You're the most familiar with the security systems since they were upgraded and we need them momentarily disabled. We need Sam's exact location and for the surveillance to be down just long enough so they won't see us nearby. Once I have him, there will need to be multiple diversions in place so I can get away."

"You're planning on leaving with him alone?" Bumble asked obviously wanting to join the escape party with Sam.

"The main priority is getting Sam out; if you can get away without being intercepted or followed that would be acceptable. I may need assistance."

"Well then, let's go make some commotion." Ironhide beamed with exultation while the others worked out the finer details and Ironhide went to find a few more volunteers.


	12. Part Eleven

And now for the correct order :) Hope it makes a bit more sense now.

(_I still can't believe I did that!) _Enjoy

* * *

Part Eleven

_Reece_

He should have seen it coming. There is a sign, the way a person acts when they decide. Somewhere in Sam's eyes had been that sign and Reece had missed it or misunderstood it. He had been unnaturally still, but he always had been from the beginning, no it was the way he didn't protest when Reece had suggested he eat something. Sam had complied and Reece had hoped this meant he was ready to accept help. How could he have been so wrong?

When they'd spoken as Sam held the silver instrument to his wrist to get Reece to listen, Reece believed he had seen and heard Sam's true feelings and thoughts. That Sam had been so desperately trying to tell him something he didn't want to hear, that he wasn't what Sam needed, it was aliens from other planet and it had sounded too preposterous in his mind that he'd brushed it away. And now Sam was paying for Reece's mistake. He had almost paid with his life.

The surgeons had been successful in stopping the loss of blood, giving him scores of transfusions in the process. Repairing the damage Sam had done to his hand had taken awhile, the scissors had severed tendons and managed to shred through what small muscle mass he had. With proper physio therapy he should be able to regain full function of his hand. However that wasn't the problem. Sam was still recovering from his other physical injuries and the continued strain and stress this was having on his body was sure to cause unforseen complications.

The real question was what did this mean for Sam? Reece knew this was Sam making a statement, so he wondered if Sam had known what actions they were about to take on his behalf. Sam was a resourceful boy, there were many sympathetic to him and could easily have passed him information despite Reece locking down contact around him. If so, he could only guess it went both ways and he doubted the autobots would sit still after they discovered what had occurred, for surely they would and soon.

Still, he feared he couldn't change anything now.

He sat in his assigned room positioned over his desk, Sam's file open in front of him. His notes were matriculates and extensive and he had read them over and over again. He had warned everyone not to inform the autobots about what had happened, he feared they would not take the news well if they cared about Sam as deeply as Reece suspected. He had his reservations though, no one truly knew the genuine feelings an autobot could hold. That was where the boundaries of human and alien came into question. There was that one fact that Reece admitted he simply couldn't get past and that was that they weren't human, so how could he hold them to that standard?

A sudden explosion rocked the compound sending Reece flying instinctively under the desk. It was followed closely by another, this one a bit further away and Reece took that opportunity to sprint from his room to see what was going on. As he got outside he easily made out the hunkering forms of the autobots, several of them wrestling around and letting off weapons fire seemingly at each other. Had a Decepticon infiltrated their camp?

There were soldiers scampering everywhere, trying their best to gain control and order over their comrades but the autobots were not listening. It was almost like they were being exceptionally difficult and the weapons fire they were letting off didn't appear to be hitting anything other then the ground. It was almost like they were simply putting on a show. Could it be? This soon?

The mere idea that this could be the case had Reece dashing over the open space recklessly just a short distance away to the infirmary. He had to see Sam, to check that he was still in recovery.

Just as he approached the entrance-way a hand yanked him to the side and he was pulled to the ground, his face inches from the dirt. A figure rested on top of him, a man, his breathing heavy.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" The man hissed at him and Reece struggled not sure what to do. After a moment of quiet the man pulled himself up looking around the area. "It should be safe to move now by the sounds of it, you should get to a bunker until its all clear."

Reece turned to see Major Lennox, his posture sure and steady. "What's the meaning of this?" Reece demanded.

"Didn't you notice? It appears the twins have gone a little trigger happy. They instigated a rough-housing on Ironhide and he didn't take it entirely well." Lennox huffed not nearly as exasperated as someone in his position should have been.

"I need to get into the infirmary, I must check on Sam." Reece abruptly pulled himself free and scurried for the door, Lennox hot behind him.

"I need to get you to safety." Lennox shouted at him but Reece could hear the desperation in his voice wasn't because of that.

As they both tumbled into the sterile space Reece knew he was too late. It was already done. Sam was gone.

* * *

_Sam_

What time was it? What day was it? Did it even matter? He didn't think it mattered anymore, why should it? He was dead wasn't he, gone and buried by now? But this didn't quite feel right, this felt more like in between, like he was still tied to the living somehow. That wasn't possible, it had been so… painful just wasn't the right word to use. Torturous, anguishing, right? No, wasteful, that's what it was. To throw his life away because he had felt there was no other choice. How foolish was he? How angry it made him that he had been left to make that decision of all decisions. He had reasoned for all it was worth and still, Reece had understood nothing.

But there was no taking it back, wherever he was, this was his fate. As it so happened his fate regarded him with a familiar comfortable bed to sleep in and a warm embrace. Only when he opened an eye to peer, it wasn't a bed he lay in, and the warm embrace was not that of a caring someone. He could have sworn he was in the backseat of Ratchet's Hummer alt-mode once again wrapped snugly in the cars restraints.

This was defiantly not where he expected to wake up to at all. Had his previous memories and past events been a dream somehow? His mind showing him the worst possible outcome he had to look forward to? No, he could think of worse. He had been faced with worse and managed to somehow squeeze past.

Though his surroundings were void of most light Sam could make out a figure in the front seat, a figure that turned in his direction having sensed Sam's alertness at last. His breath hitched in his throat as he stared at the unfamiliar man and yet, Sam could have sworn he **did **know him. It was his eyes, the way they shone like that of a Cybertronian staring into his soul and mind.

"Sam?" He asked and there was no mistaking that voice, it was just so peculiar hearing it come from a human mouth. "Are you awake?"

Sam suspected Ratchet asked this only to bring him fully to as he usually wasn't one for small talk and unnecessary questions. He nodded. "Ratchet?"

The man turned himself around in his seat on the drivers side, his pepper speckled black hair matching the look Sam would have pegged Ratchet for had he been born a human. "Que's been busy in his gadget constructing since we last saw you. He upgraded the avatar system to interactive physical holoforms, what you are currently looking at is my holo-representation, like that of the avatar only without the need of that puppet. Besides, the government took it off Que. He was not pleased so he helped me alter our processors to compensate for these." He motioned to himself.

Sam blinked a few times clearing the heavy sleep from his eyes. "So that's you? I'm not dead?" He asked in a whisper, the last question more for himself then Ratchet.

"No. Not yet Sam." Ratchet hushed.

"Why am I currently tussled up in your backseat and not the infirmary?" Or underground? But he didn't ask that question out loud.

Ratchet sighed with a peek of irritation at his questions in his state but let it go. "None of the autobots knew what was happening to you Sam until Lennox informed us of the recent development. We, that is to say several of the autobots, broke you out of that festering slagging…" He trailed off griping about the conditions where Sam had been forcefully held and medicated unnecessarily against his will.

It was actually somewhat oddly comforting to listen to Ratchet complain about a trivial or nontrivial matter, as he usually did. It made Sam feel like it wasn't the end of his world, like the past was just that, the past and this was just another normal day with the autobots. But Sam knew he didn't have time to think like that, something told him there was a lot he needed to catch up on. He had a sinking idea to what had occurred and it didn't sit well with him, that was why he'd chosen to do what he'd done, so what did the autobots really know?

He also couldn't get his mind around the fact that the autobots had gone against Optimus's orders to stand down and be taken away, but Ratchet had mentioned a recent development, had Lennox found out Sam had tried to commit suicide and told the bots so they would come to his rescue. No, that sounded ludicrous and big headed of him. He was glad at that moment his mind was abnormally clear, light and lucid, the psychotic medication out of his system. Something it hadn't been for however long he'd been under Reece's watchful edict, so he could comprehend what was currently going on around him.

"Are human minds usually this muddled under anaesthesia? Or was your processor void of fluid for too long?" Ratchet snapped. He seemed to have a short fuse today and seeing as Sam had only just woken he was at a loss to understand why.

"Wha…..?"

The holoform sighed and his seat dipped down so he was able to move to the back seat and positioned himself before Sam. Carefully he unwrapped Sam's hands from the mass of belts to inspect them almost suspiciously and Sam's eyes caught on the one bound from elbow to thumb on his left, twice as thick with gauze as the other. So he hadn't dreamed it, he had lived it, was still living it.

"The human doctors mended this well after you almost offlined." Never could such words have been said with such a disheartening and anguishing tone. It filled Sam with the most horrible guilt, much like when he had turned Optimus away when he had asked for his help after he'd gotten to college, and he wasn't sure if he could talk about it. How could they comprehend his reasoning for throwing away his life? Did they even have that notion before they came to Earth? He kept forgetting they were actually aliens from another planet.

Gently Sam pulled his numb hands from Ratchet's and turned to stare outside almost wishing he hadn't woken. That was the problem with living after something like this, the way the ones who actually cared about him wanted to talk, but not really, that they wanted to understand, but couldn't grasp. Ratchet was different, as were all the autobots, they truly did want to know, to comprehend fully but all Sam could think now was that once again, he'd let them down in the worst way, by giving up.

There was a sudden rap and the flash of headlights at the window and Sam flinched at the sudden noise and motion, his heart in his mouth.

"Don't worry, its just Bumblebee. He's been rather anxious to talk with you; he's been getting on my fragging nerves." And with that said the front seat passenger door opened and in hoped a young man around Sam's age, shaggy blond hair, well muscled with light coloured skin and those same piercing eyes. This Sam realized, must be Bumblebee's appearance using his own holoform.

"Bee!" Sam let off a squeak at being able to see his guardian for what seemed like too long. "Maybe you can tell me what's going on here, coz Ratchet's not making much sense to me."

Bumblebee glanced at Ratchet's holoform and he fizzed and disappeared without another word. Though it wasn't entirely private, this was as good as Ratchet was going to give.

"He's just worried, we all are." Bumblebee's voice was a melody to Sam's ears having never properly heard it before, he had been given a new one with is holoform and Sam smiled when he spoke again. "You've been out for four days Sam!"

Sam's smile broke as Bumblebee's words sunk in. Four days?! Mind you he'd tried to kill himself, it made sense to keep said suicidal person sleeping. "Where are we? Where is everyone?" By this he was actually quite interested in where Reece was and what he was currently doing. He would never have had approved this talk, or should Sam say Galloway wouldn't have.

"We are not on the NEST base, you had to be removed so…. we removed you. Ratchet here has been monitoring your vitals and Prowl's taken a strange liking to you, he doesn't often do that. He's out patrolling the area now."

Sam sighed at Bumblebee's evasion. He'd so had enough of his questions being evaded. "Then where are we? And how did you get me out? I thought Reece had you guys barred from seeing me."

Bumblebee nodded his head, the memories obviously painful ones. "When Lennox told us that you'd…. well, we came up with a plan to break you out. You weren't getting better as they promised and they intended to take you away and break the deal Optmius had made with them."

"Wait, Optimus made a deal? When? What was it about?" He had to know even though it tugged at his heart once again.

"When he arrived back at NEST, when they were taking you away and he intervened." Bumblebee lowered his head remembering far too well how he'd been ordered and forced to stay outside so he couldn't interfere. It had been more excruciating then he'd imagined listening to Sam as he'd called out Optimus's name, called to him for help and begged they not take him away. "He agreed with Galloway to let them take you but only on the understanding that he be allowed to speak with you alone as you requested when you were able and keep Ratchet updated with your medical files. They really didn't give him much choice Sam." Bee added like he could somehow read Sam's current feelings when it came to Optimus.

"Oh….." Was all that Sam could respond.

"We didn't see or hear much from you for almost a week, and then you….."

"Tried to kill myself, yeah I know." He cut his friend off not meaning his words to sound as harsh as they did but they were skirting around the issue just like a human would. A part of Sam wanted to explain what had gone through his mind, to help them understand as they seemed, so desperately, wanting to do while another section of his brain didn't want to go there, to relieve those feelings of inadequacy and surrender. But it truly sounded like it wasn't all for nothing, it had driven the autobots to make a choice in freeing him, saving him but at the cost of their own liberty.

As Bumblebee described the days events following their escape as ones of subterfuge and concealment from their own allies Sam closed his eyes and fought back the tears.


	13. Part Twelve

Wow am loving the feedback, its so engaging, makes sure I don't miss anything which can happen if I get a little carried away!

As always I do not own Transformers, so enjoy this next phase ;)

* * *

Part Twelve

_Soundwave_

It was in the wreckage of a disused car junk yard that the Decepticon Soundwave could be found, weak, damaged and seething with rage. Days passed before he could function at an acceptable level after his unexpected encounter with that Witwicky boy and though Soundwave cursed him with odium he could not deny he had discovered something worth while, something extremely valuable.

At present Soundwave's condition irked him. If he hadn't been so baldy damaged he would never have believe the boy could produce such quantities of Energon, it was outrageous. The resulting blast from the close contact had impacted his cheat plating causing it to simply melt away, as it now was Soundwave had had to use several spare parts from the broken cars resting around him to secure protection to his spark so it was less vulnerable. Using such inferior resources was detestable to him but at present he had little choice. Being a Decepticon meant more often then none, you had to see to your own repairs so this was nothing new. His communications system wasn't in too bad shape either and as adept as he was at his specialty, Soundwave was able to repair this quickest of all and as such contacted a few interested, still living, Decepticons who were now on there way.

The insect boy had cost them dearly on many occasions, his intrusions on several matters Cybertroian unforgivable as he helped thwart their plans to restore their race to glory. They, that were to say the Decepticons, had upon arrival to this overpopulated planet seen the human beings as nothing more then insignificant diminutive creatures easy of manipulation and control and so it had been for years, until recently.

As Optimus and his foolish entourage of autobot soldiers had found their way to the planet also, things had changed dramatically in the path they had spent significant time to meticulously construct. There would be no dispute in the boy's fate, he would die and die in unbearable agony for his crimes however, if Soundwave were to observe and analyze, as he was often exceedingly good at doing, the events that lead to Soundwaves crushing defeat to the intrusive human boy, one could say further study was needed.

Laserbeak was the first to heed his call and Soundwave watched as the mechanic vulture flew gracefully to perch atop a twisted heap of metal.

"Trouble with the autobots Soundwave?" He cackled at Soundwave's plight as Soundwave growled a warning in response not needing Laserbeak's foul attitude.

"The autobots are weak, they scamper absently minded after these human insects." He paused momentarily waiting for Leaserbeaks full attention. The vulture turned its red optics to him knowing there was something juicy to be shared. "It is the insect boy Witwicky that may interest you and Megatron. Upon my encounter with him I would have torn him to shreds had he not produced such vast quantities of Energon Energy. Such raw power could restore our race to crush this puny planet once and for all."

"A human? Produce Energon?" Laserbeak was skeptic, unclear as to whether Soundwave's processor circuits had been damaged for the worst.

"The autobots will have him by now, but we must get our hands on the boy." Soundwave, undeterred at Laserbeak's disbelieving tone, shifted painfully back into his alt-mode, his Mercedes-Benz shell looked far from the pristine form he had taken several months ago.

"If the Witwicky is with the autobots, they will destroy you with ease in your current condition." Laserbeak warned.

"There are still Decepticons loyal to Megatron; they will assist me upon the boys' collection. With that energy we will restore our race and exterminate the autobots once and for all!" Not checking to see if the vulture would follow Soundwave took off. The first thing he needed to know was the boys current whereabouts, which he believed wouldn't be to difficult to ascertain, being a wiz at communications came to his advantage. Once he had that, and the support from his fellow Decepticons (which he knew Megatron would give at the chance to be fully restored) there would be no stopping him.

Laserkeak stared silently as the twisted bot clanked away from view musing things over silently. Soundwave may have once been one of Megarton's prized fighters but it was clear he was now just as badly damaged and broken as their leader, if Laserbeak still counted himself as a follower.

No, he decided, he had better things to do then watch the Decepticons fall again, for facing off with Optimus, they were sure to repeat the past.

* * *

_Optimus Prime_

Disloyalty was not uncommon to Optimus, he had felt that sting on more then one occasion but times were different and at the moment he wasn't sure if he could even call this betrayal. Yes, several of the autobots under his command had disregarded his strict orders regarding the humans and causing damage to the infrastructure of the NEST headquarters (he was grateful they had produced no injuries) but knowing the reason behind this, in the back of his mind, had him wishing he had instigated it himself. It was clear that Sam was important to all of the autobots, Optimus had felt a particular bond to Sam after he had saved his life by literary bringing him back from obliteration where none other could have, but he hadn't realized just how deep that bond went with the others of his kind. They revered him in bringing their leader back and with that, trusted him completely. Optimus had never heard of such a tail amongst his people before, that this other completely different life form could be treated like one of their own.

Now he stood in his full form facing the irritating human Galloway whom many had doubted a rather foul name he didn't care to mention, giving a report on why the autobots who had fled with Sam had not yet been recovered. It had been a total of eight Earth days. A significantly long amount of time to pass for a mission to be incomplete and a simple search and recover one at that.

"….. is of vital necessity that we find Sam and the rest of your team members, and I use that term loosely." Galloway was droning on.

"I can assure you we all wish to locate Sam." Optimus reassured. "However I believe the other autobots reacted in the interests of the boy with the situation they were faced with."

"What's that supposed to mean? You were told to keep away from him which is why what happened, happened. Your soldiers are out of control dragging him off in that state!"

Optmius let off an uncanny growl. "I trust Sam with my life and know he would only ever take such action if he believed those he cares for were in jeopardy and I can only come to the conclusion this has to do with a swift removal that was planned on your account."

"Where did you hear that? That is not your concern." Galloway stood his ground.

"Really?" Optimus stepped forward which was saying something as he didn't really have the room for that kind of movement in the first place. "Of all the humans on this planet it is Sam I trust the most, he had proven without doubt were his heart lies and I will protect him, even if that means from his own people."

Swallowing Galloway took a moment to collect himself. He really didn't like being intimidated by any of the giant robotic aliens which seemed to be occurring more and more frequently but there was little he could do about it other then not backing down and trusting that they didn't rejoice in the taking of human life otherwise he was sure he'd be dead already. It was perhaps a warning that his future carrier path may have to change and soon. If he could only get his hands on the information the boy was keeping, that was more then enough to open any door he could want.

"Just find your autobots and get them back here ASAP." He turned promptly and almost ran for the door leaving a smug and irritated Optimus watching on. He would never admit it, but there were times when he most likely could have ended Ratchet, Bumblebee and Prowl's free reign. They had been hot on their exhaust fumes for the last two days now but Optimus could feel the reluctance of his soldiers to make more of an effort on something they all believed was the correct course of action. That Sam should stay right where he was without any interference until he was ready to return.

Sighing heavily as he stepped outside to find Ironhide he knew annoyingly that Galloway was correct. The absentee group needed to be found and brought back in, it just wasn't safe running free at the moment and he doubted it had been easy to evade them as they had managed to continue doing.

The moment he spotted Ironhide he gestured the gun heavy mech aside. "Did you confirm the origin of the transmission?"

"Yeah, it's just as you suspected." His voice rumbled holding that note of concern Optimus had come to find among most autobots in regards to their human companion. "The Decepticons are moving in, regrouping. They know something is up. My guess its that Decepticon who attacked Sam, he would have had to have felt the power from Sam and now they figure to take him for themselves."

"We must find a way to contact Ratchet or the others, has Que been able to break through the communications block?"

"He's working on it, but like I said before, they're all working a lot slower these days. This isn't right Optimus and if Prowl were here, despite his involvement, he would agree. They've made no contact with any humans; they've laid low and are constantly moving around. Why can't we just leave them be for a few more days and focus on the Decepticons? Or are you seriously considering handing Sam back over?" It was almost said as a challenge and Optimus wasn't sure his spark was in it. He knew he could never subject Sam through that horror again so what were his options?

"No, I have learnt my lesson well and true Ironhide. It would be risking his life once again and I have no intention of helping the humans accomplish that. But in doing so, by disobeying orders I fear we must then break ties with this government alliance, that is what we are facing, that is the decision I see I must make." His words were deep and Ironhide bowed his head to his leader. He felt slightly ashamed at how little respect Optimus had gotten recently, he didn't envy the job.

The shuffling of gravel from the corner of the building they were standing beside caught his attention momentarily. They probably shouldn't have been talking about this sort of thing in the open so with their conversation at an uneasy end they made their way back to the autobot hanger.

* * *

_William Lennox_

Yes, he had been eavesdropping on the autobots, not one of his favorite pastimes but something that had become rather necessary as of late due to their lack of cooperation and effort. The ties between human and Cybertrioan were tenuously tethering on a tight rope of sodden wool and it was inevitable that it would most likely snap at some critical point. Lennox had been dubiously trying to delay that moment but with the conversation he had just overheard, it seemed unlikely that was now possible. He had to take action; he didn't want the autobots to feel that breaking ties was their only option because Lennox knew if that happened, they were all royally screwed.

He disagreed on every action Galloway had taken since he'd gotten his foul hands on Sam but not being anywhere near that mans pay grade made it extremely difficult to step out of line. Let's face it; he would be helpful to no one if they kicked him out of here. The only reason he hadn't so far was that he was one of the few humans in much of a position to do something. And he did have something in mind.

One thing that had bothered him from the beginning was one of the simplest things that seemed to have been overlooked, Sam's parents. Galloway had reported that while all efforts had gone into locating Ron and Judy Witwicky they had yet to be found, he chalked this up to the fact that on their last holiday, they had been located by Decepticons via their cell phones and kidnapped to be used against Sam later. So naturally, the smart thing to do would be to ditch their phones on the next time on holiday (paid courtesy of the government) and make sure you weren't that easy to find.

But surely, over two weeks to locate two people who, lets face it, were fairly loud and conspicuous? This had prompted Lennox to do some digging of his own. It hadn't taken long to bribe, pull favors and even threaten on occasion several persons who would not be named, to give him access to the information he was after. What he found sent chills down his back.

But he had to be sure; he had to know himself before he could use this against Galloway and even Reece if he'd known. He took a steadying breath and dialed the number attached to the file he'd received listening intently at the ringing he waited.

Someone picked up. "Hello? Who is this?" It was Ron Witwicky, there was no doubting that voice when Lennox had heard it shout at him on a number of occasions.

"Mr. Witwicky? Its William Lennox, from NEST."

"Oh! Hey Judy, its Lennox." Ron called over the phone to his wife, from which Lennox could hear her shout out a very enthused "Tell him Hi!"

"Sir, I just wanted to ask you about your son." Lennox prayed this wouldn't become a call where Ron would shout out their entire conversation for Judy to hear and she would shout back the appropriate responses, should anyone be listening this would be the easiest phone call to eavesdrop on.

"Oh really? Hows he doing? We've already be getting updates from the National Security Adviser." He said Galloway's title like that was a good thing.

"Really, and what has he been saying if you don't mind my asking."

"You guys are getting Sam into tip top shape. You know ever since this whole robot alien thing happened he's really taken to the military, I know he wanted to make it onto your team so this must mean so much for him. You just make sure he doesn't get himself killed over there, you hear me?"

"… Yeah, I'll do my best." Lennox muttered a hasty good-bye and hung up.

They didn't have a clue.


	14. Part Thirteen

Had some time yesterday to figure this whole story out :) Don't worry still more to come but at least I know how it ends, I usually find that the most difficult part to come up with but for now the story continues...

I don't own Transformers or the franchise it stands on

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Part Thirteen

_William Lennox_

NEST was oddly busy that day, both in the fact that autobots and human soldiers alike were deep in the throws of their set tasks. Now days it was often unclear whether they worked in union or kept secrets, the trust was that of a fine silk thread and neither side knew how to bridge this uncomfortable gap.

As for Lennox, he had to say his ties with the autobots had improved somewhat since the whole thing with handing Sam over. Clearly he had proven himself once again in their eyes for aiding in his escape and providing vial information but still, he could tell they held back where once they wouldn't have. For one thing they had yet to mention anything regarding the conversation he had overheard which worried him greatly. If they did intend to defect, they would be stealthy about it, like right now, so he asked a few officers whom he trusted to keep a discreet eye open and prayed they wouldn't get caught.

At that particular time of the day the autobots, who were currently all pulled from active duties by Galloway, were being quite scarce. He was aware Que, who had set up a particularity complex monitoring system in the hopes of catching Decepticons, had started acting in an alarming manner. He cooled himself down fairly quickly though, stating it was nothing but a glitch in the system but Lennox had a sinking suspicion it wasn't. If they found anything they were ordered to report it immediately, in other words Galloway wanted to know everything everyone was currently doing. Lennox scoffed to himself, the man wasn't as all powerful as he thought, and there was much he didn't know like how loyal the majority of NEST soldiers were to their autobot allies, and what information Lennox was currently holding about Galloway's affairs.

He had yet to put a plan in place about Galloway's blatant disregard of human rights, what Lennox really wanted to know was if Reece had been in on it too. Was Reece a major string player or just another puppet who'd been played. So far all the dirt he'd been able to scrounge up had been useless, Reece by all standards was considered a high professional in his field, another thing Lennox questioned. His only option was to confront him, and hope that he would either reveal something in his denial or instigate an investigation of his own.

With that thought in his mind he was able to swiftly track the man down as he left the mess tent. Seeing the area as a bit too crowded for his liking for such a conversation he tailed Reece a short distance to the officers section as he headed to his room. Before Reece entered the building however he stopped before the door and waited.

"I did take basic field training; I know when I'm being followed." He called out. So the man wasn't a complete moron, Lennox didn't like that. Surely he knew what Galloway had been up to then.

"You got me." Lennox halfheartedly put his hands in the air and stepped into view.

"Major Lennox, and how may I help you? Here to voice your concerns on how young Sam was treated? You needn't bother, I've had more then a few words said to me over the last week and not just from your charming autobot friends." Reece actually looked rather defeated at saying this. Lennox had no idea the man had been harassed but it shouldn't have shocked him so. He actually felt slightly better upon hearing this and was glad the guy felt bad, he should, but that annoying conscience in the back of his mind was scolding him. He shouldn't take pleasure in others suffering even if they justly deserved it.

"I needed to ask you something and it's not exactly something you can ask over the dinner table."

"You'll have to be quick then, I have a meeting very shortly." Reece huffed clearly not in the mood tonight.

"Have you been able to locate Ron and Judy Witwicky yet?" He expected Reece's defenses to go up, the show of a lie, but Reece remained passive.

"I can assure you, it would have been much easier if they'd been here before all of this…" He waved his hand about to indicate the present fiasco and pinched the bridge of his nose as if to fight off a headache.

"I suppose that would have made quite a difference, no doubt they would have sided with the autobots to make all the decisions as they trust them just as much as Sam. Kinda odd though that they haven't been able to be found. They're not quiet people and we have good soldiers with specialties that could find you anything and anyone."

An unusual look passed over Reece's eyes and he was sharp enough to grasp Lennox's hidden meaning. "You believe they've already been located?"

"Oh, I know."

The disbelief in Reece's posture was astute and Lennox could only come to the conclusion that he was either a really talented actor or truly did have no idea. "When? Do you have proof of this?" Reece asked.

"Some time ago I believe. They think Sam's in training here to be considered to join the task force and I just called them yesterday, but I'd recommend holding out telling anything until we can find Sam, trust me you don't want those two down here right now."

A fury passed behind Reece's calm stance so sudden and startling Lennox took a step back. "I was used." He muttered to himself as if confirming his thoughts.

Lennox nodded a slight smile forming on his lips. "We're all being used and something needs to be done before more regretful decisions are made."

"What do you mean by that?" Reece questioned but Lennox wasn't sure if he could trust him, he had told only a handful of his own people whom he could trust, not just with his life but with anything, about the autobots silent whisperings. Would it be wise to trust this man? But Reece had friends in high places, which Lennox had been able to discover in his profiling, he could surly use that kind of assistance.

"Let's just say there was talk amongst the autobots to leave."

Reece was silent for a moment letting this sink in, his eyes clouding over. If Reece wasn't being sincere and intended to run straight to Galloway with this, then he doubted it was something Galloway didn't already know or at least wasn't already suspicious of.

Lennox could just see the cogs shifting behind his eyes, the irritation at being deceived by a man who was clearly unfit to lead, who was clearly part psychopathic to use the people around him in the manner he had. Finally he nodded. "I know just who to call."

"Thanks….. I'll tell the guys to stop pestering you, can't do anything about the autobots though." Lennox gave a grimace, the chances for this entire situation starting to look positive for the first time.

Reece smiled softly at him grateful for the effort. "That would be much approached Major."

* * *

_Optimus Prime_

It was in that early morning that a comm. was sent out by Que alerting Optimus to Decepticon activity. An F-22 Raptor had been spotted without authorisation soaring across the Florida state. Not a common sight with the air restrictions as they were Optimus knew it could only mean one thing. There was a certain Deception by the name of Starscream who was still at large and it made sense he would be in the middle of Decepticon activity with Megatron as frail as he was.

Along with a few other familiar vehicles observed on the roads by the countless cameras the humans used to watch traffic with it seemed clear to Optimus at that moment that the Decepticons were moving in on something and he feared he also knew what that was. Sam and his autobot protectors had been found, he had no choice, they had to move now or this could spell disaster for everyone.

Their first obstruction was getting off the base but that was easier said then done, I mean, they were awfully recognizable. A disguise would be rather useless considering they were limited in their approach, it would have to ridiculously big, like a carrier craft of some kind and that in itself was a give away. He had also noticed several bands of soldiers now keeping watch on them, though discreetly, it irritated him. Humans seemed to have a sixth sense about them which he recalled Ratchet becoming rather interested in. Now however was not the time for the curiosity of humans, it was the time to make his move and if that meant barging out by force then he would command it.

He gathered the autobots in the main hanger, they had all already been alerted to the circumstances and thought it pleased none of them to so quickly and effectively cut off their alliance they knew they did so for sound reasons. They would follow their leader in whatever decisions he made for he made them in all their best interests.

The few humans who were around shuffled nervously, obviously sensing something major was up, while several of them disappeared rather quickly. Most likely not wanting to be in the middle of what ever was about to go down. The autobots filed outside, ready to take down the Decepticons before they could cause more destruction with Optimus leading the way.

From his right he spied a man running, as if being chased by some unseen vicious beast, straight towards them and Optimus stopped realizing it was Major Lennox. To be honest Optimus had hoped not to come across Lennox while they undertook this mission and then abandoned their post. Lennox was the best kind of human, loyal, honest and true and Optimus would miss his alliance and friendship greatly. He at least deserved a warning.

"OPTIMUS! Wait, I need to speak with you before you go." He called out, in voice out of breath.

"Major, I will listen to what you have to say only because you have helped us in the past, but you should know that our return is most unlikely." To Optimus's utter surprise Lennox barely blinked to this news.

"I know you plan on cutting your ties with us, lets just say I've had a few people keeping look out until you made your move but I need you to hear our side. Galloway's manipulated us for long enough and we intend to relieve him of his position; the plan is in the works as we speak we just need a little more time."

Optimus mulled this over, if Lennox could indeed accomplish what he was proposing, it could change everything. A different human leader, one void of the corruption and power lust the current one was under would ease tensions significantly and they could continue to work side by side once again. "You have my word that we will return once we take care of these Decepitcons but mark my words, should we return with Sam none but he shall make decisions for his future."

"That's fine by me big man." Lennox said now all the more determined to make this scheme work. It just had to or this job wasn't worth all the fighting and trouble.

* * *

_Theodore Galloway_

Being a man of knowledge and power, of prestige and stature, Galloway had come to see the cracks in the line. He was not a stupid man nor someone who could let things slip by him easily so it was safe to say he knew when he smelt trouble in the air. Having a few personal recruits in with the NEST crowd also helped keep him in the loop on certain things he was aware Lennox was keeping from him. The autobots were up to something. Most likely to do with the Witwicky boy and Galloway needed to know, he needed a contingency on the off chance Lennox would go against him. He had seen the increasing looks the Major tossed his way when he thought Galloway was oblivious, his spies had told him of Lennox's growing contempt and he felt he would have to make an example.

Rising from his desk he left the confines of his office whereupon the voices outside escalated in pitch and urgency. A commotion to be sure caused by the autobots, when was it not? He rushed to investigate the situation and came across Captain Boshna, a good friend of his for several years who, with Galloway's help, had edged his way swiftly up the ladder of command.

"What's going on?" Galloway demanded as the Captain turned to face him with an apprehensive expression.

"It's the autobots Sir; they've taken off without authorization. Charged right through the perimeter fences and sabotaged the tracking grid."

"What?! How could you have let this happen? You were supposed to be keeping an eye on them!" Galloway screeched at the man who shrunk back. This was a disaster, what was he supposed to say to the President? He did have the feeling though that he knew who would've been well aware of the situation before it came this far. Lennox would be out of here so fast he'd have whiplash for the next month or two, Galloway would see to it personally.


	15. Part Fourteen

It was so difficult writing this chapter, got relatives from out of town staying and needless to say, I don't get on well with others in the house. If there are more mistakes then usual, please forgive me, I've found so many differences in NZ to US spelling like US use Z instead of S for certain words like the word paralyse lol, its kinda funny and I'd bet you've found heaps of errors.

Anyway, forgive my nonsense and enjoy that latest installment. As always I do not own Transformers or the characters, it was just never meant to be.

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Part Fourteen

_Sam_

Though Sam steadfastly refused to believe it, their party of four had begun to suffer. He'd lost track of the days but to be honest he didn't really feel it was particularly necessary to worry over something so trivial at the moment. He felt more at peace with himself then he had in what felt like eons as his non-humanoid friends eased him through not just his physical recovery but also the emotional bashing he'd taken. Still, as peaceful and recuperative as this was it couldn't last. Sam was waiting for the day when reality would come crashing down around him to take everything away once again.

He still had nightmares so intense that Ratchet often secured him tightly to stop him from thrashing around while he slept and injuring himself. They were usually the same night after night, tied to a slab of metal not unlike the one Megatron had used when he'd extracted the information from his brain shortly after acquiring the allspark knowledge. Of being cut into and feeling the blood drip down the sides of his exposed skull as hands moved in synchronicity attaching wires and needles to his skin. As he screamed, begged, pleaded with anyone to make it stop, to help him. But all the darkened faces behind the protective barricade of glass stood still and watched on, unmoving, uncaring and sullen.

As much as he shrugged off those nightmares, they still made him shake and wither inside. He couldn't forget that not so long ago he had been right there, he had felt exactly that and it frightened the shit out of him to think it could happen again. Trying to convey this to Ratchet would just make him worry more and then they'd have another of _those _talks, like the one they'd had the day he'd finally come back to himself. It was reminiscent of the birds and the bees talk with his parents, and God only knows how horrifying that is for young growing teenagers.

He couldn't help but blush with embarrassment as his mind thought back to the inquisition. How each autobot had asked so gently in there own way why Sam had chosen to offline, as they put it. It was more difficult then he'd realized to properly communicate what had been going though his head, he couldn't bring himself to admit that he believed they'd abandoned him, so he'd stuck with the other argument, that being without hope as he believed he'd been, off-lining seemed the only path to take.

Ratchet had been quite, letting Sam explain without interruption and accepting his clarification with a sort of gratefulness like he hadn't expected Sam to explain at all. However gruff the medic appeared, Sam could see deeper and had more respect for him for this.

Bumblebee had taken his hand, a soothing gesture, as Sam had unleashed a torrent of tears describing the loneliness that Bumblebee understood too well. It didn't shame him to act so raw in Bee's presence instead they acted like they used to, care free and able to feel free from that moment.

Prowl had been different, Sam knew so little of the new bot he'd kinda danced around him for a while as he'd felt Prowl's optics constantly on him. Bumblebee had told Sam the lengths to which Prowl had gone to help free him with the others and Sam couldn't find the words to properly thank him, it just didn't seem like enough. It wasn't until one evening Prowl requested Sam ride with him as they moved location and Sam feeling it would be rude to decline the request, sat uncomfortably in the passenger seat. They remained in silence for some time before Sam had unintentionally fallen asleep, for some reason after that moment on it became easier to get to know him. Sam hadn't realized until then how much of a stickler for the rules Prowl was. He had the misfortune to try and coax Prowl help him evade the hundreds of scans Ratchet preformed on a daily basis and Prowl had rather hotly put his foot down. A lesson learnt quickly but he didn't hold it against him.

As for the medication he had been weened off, Ratchet could detect no lasting effects it would have on his body and with some creative medication of his own had reversed any chemical imbalances in his brain chemistry that he had detected, Sam finally felt like himself again, and being with the autobots had seemed to lift a crushing pressure off his mind.

The thing that really had him after all this though was the utter boredom and lack of anything to do because what is there for a teenager to amuse himself with in the backseat of a car as they traveled around almost all day every day? The majority of his time was spent either sleeping, a change of dressings and attention to his healing injuries which were looking better as the days wore on, working his muscles as one or two of the bots looked on in encouragement or sighing heavily as they tried to force as much healthy food into him as humanly possible. He wondered just how they'd gone about supplying such nutritious and often quite tasty meals but he guessed with their holoforms they could accomplish a lot more stepping into the human realm and most likely knew how to acquire fake credit cards. It would have been quite a sight; he was sure, to see these awesome and majestic creatures hidden in their alternate forms ordering food they couldn't eat but for there lone charge.

All Sam could really do, when he didn't have the desire to talk, was to stare out the windows as the country passed him by. Where were they now? How many miles had they traveled? He was sure it was staggering.

Finally, without warning, the day he believed they'd all been anticipating intercepted them without fail. He'd chosen to ride with Bee that late morning, and once again his gaze was driven outside. The tree line they passed shimmered in the breeze, the branches bending and groaning as if complaining with the weight of their flora burden. It was a moment you take when searching the world for its beauty and always finding it in the most abundant and overlooked places and just as suddenly that beauty was gone. A glint, the telltale sign of metal, shone in the under bush and Sam's chest tightened, constricting with fear as he had become used to but couldn't seem to gain control of. There was only one reason he considered it would be there.

The autobots reaction was immediate and swift but it still wasn't fast enough. The ground just ahead of Prowl erupted in a mass of flying dirt and grit sending the autobot into the air. He transformed out of his alt-mode as he touched down on a flat section only to be tackled and wrestled to immobility by two viciously smirking Decepticons. Pinned, Prowl struggled trying his best to buckle them off but not having much luck. It was then that Ratchet joined the fray.

With a few flicks at Bumblebee who currently held Sam firmly in the drivers' seat, he gave the order for them to flee. Bumblebee didn't hesitate and revved his engine with shocking force, Sam's legs trembled and they swerved around the commotion missing the reaching grasp of a Decepticon by inches.

"Wait Bee!" Sam called out in panic swiveling in his seat as they left the other two behind. "We can't leave them! Please, you have to go back!"

He fumbled unthinkingly at the belt around his ribcage only to have it lock him in tighter as he struggled. "Can't go back….. we made a deal… gotta run." Bumblebee's disjointed words did little to ease the horrid desolation clutching at Sam. He should have known it would come to this; it would always come to this until he was no longer someone elses prized position.

Clutching the arm rest, his muscles tensed and coiled, he shut his eyes, unable to watch what was surly a massacre behind them. He had spotted four Decepticons, none of which he recognized but this meant that no matter how superior the autobots where in battle, odds like that were never agreeable.

The unmistakable sound of a jet ripping through the air had Sam's reopened eyes trained on the skies; there was no mistaking that F-22 Raptor as it soared straight towards them. Bumblebee dodged to the right as Starscream dipped low, mid transformation so his disjointed arms protruded from his underside, and missed sinking his hands into the front of Bumblebee's hood.

"Give me that puny little insect and I will be merciful." Starscream hissed at his opponent, confident as he was that nothing could stop him. They swerved to the left; the yellow camero doing his best to evade Starscream's advances but being so adept in the air had its advantages and Starscream finally caught his target. The car was lifted into the air, Sam cursing and cussing as Bumblebee extended a cannon tucked in the nook of his form. A few quick well aimed discharges and Starscream shrieked with pain, his grip loosening enough for Bumblebee to break free and crash to the ground. With little time to recover, they set back into their neck breaking pace roaring over the now rough terrain.

Sam felt, like he had once felt before, the energy building inside of him. Ratchet had warned him after their rather intense discussions regarding this phenomenon, that he should avoid bringing in out until they had a better understanding of what it did to both him and them and Sam had agreed but now he wasn't so sure. Using it the first time had quickly scared the last Decepticon off (whom anyone had yet to find since) so maybe he could use it again to do the same thing here. Maybe he could actually be of some use in battle. He knew Ratchet would scold him later but at least there would be a Ratchet to hear it from.

"Bee, stop NOW!" He clenched his fists, his skin tingling as if fire ran in his veins. Whether from his command or from the growing field of energy emitting from Sam Bumblebee immediately applied the breaks and they came to a halt.

"Sam….. what are you doing? … We need to …. run." Bumblebee gave off several odd noises of alarm, feeling the heat and power coming from his charge. He almost couldn't believe this boy was still human, still organic, and able to produce such a force.

"I can help them Bee, you need to let me out." The doors remained firmly locked as Sam's frustration grew. Couldn't Bumblebee see he just wanted to help? Knowing they had little time to spare Sam lightly touched the doors handle, a jolt of light flashed in the compartment and Bumblebee squealed in shock and surprise as his locks unlatched and Sam jumped out. It hadn't hurt, not really, just a twinge but Sam knew it hurt bee another way, something he couldn't go back and simply apologize for.

Sam dashed across the open rocky ground; Bumblebee still shocked by what had happened was still regaining control of the functions that Sam had frozen. As he rebooted he watched as Starscream took the perfect opportunity to snatch Sam without interference.

Transforming into his robot-mode Starscream hurtled himself at Sam screeching in triumph all the way. But Sam was ready, as ready as he could be when you've got alien knowledge and energy floating around his mind and body.

Just as Starscream uncurled his metal fingertips to inclose them around Sam's prone figure, Sam thrust out his hands, blue lightening dancing over his skin to impact upon the Decepticon. It struck with such strength that it tore straight though Starscream's metal armor, exploding out his back. His screaming ripped across the open space, torment and pain in every syllable as he crumpled lifeless to the earth. Bumblebee and Sam both stared in awe unsure how to breach the silence that stood between them.

There was no time however to congratulate each other on Starscream's demise as another Decepticon emerged to take his place, this foe however, Sam instantly recognized. Only this time is wasn't dark out and he wasn't fast asleep.

"Incredible." Soundwave uttered under his breath. This was the first time Sam could see him properly and the damage he had cased him was evident. He was weak; did he really think he could stand up to Sam after what he had just witnessed?

Sam took a shaky step forward, taxed greatly by the energy he had unleashed on Starscream but still standing. If he had to he would take Soundwave on too, he almost wished he hadn't temporally disabled Bumblebee. He would never be forgiven for this but he had to stand up for the autobots who had sacrificed everything for him, he would do that same.

Soundwave wasted no time but he also knew better then to try to catch the boy with his hands like Starscream and he himself had tried before, instead he sent out a discharge of energy, something to paralyze the human with so he couldn't move. Unable to duck out of the way Sam was hit center on and shrieked as the electricity skittered across his body and he dropped to the ground unable to control his muscles. He couldn't focus on his energy anymore, it had slipped out of his reach and Bumblebee watched on helpless as his systems fought to recover and reboot. They were both paralyzed.

His prize lying before him Soundwave took the moment to grin at his success, it had worked. He had known Starscream would try to collect the boy himself to present to Megatron and Soundwave had purposely omitted it was the boys direct contact that had inflicted his damage. That the boy had taken care of Starscream was in itself impressive but also something Soundwave would no longer need to worry about. Clenching his metal fingers roughly around the boy, who cried out in pain and protest, he took a few easy shots to his former guardian who could only cry out in dissent and desperation. It would not get Sam back, they had lost and Sam was done for sure.


	16. Part Fifteen

I was supposed to upload this in the morning but completely forgot :) Hope you forgive me for the wait after such a big hanger and enjoy as always. Again, thanks for the smashing reviews, I'm so pleased everyone likes it so much.

This bloody spell check keeps saying half my words are incorrect, there's red green and blue lines everywhere! So I'm going to ignore the majority of it, so sorry for the errors, I do try :/

* * *

Part Fifteen

_Sam_

His world was crumbling, crashing to the ground as he remained crushed in Soundwaves careless hand, Bumblebee's inert figure slowly disappearing in the background. This was it, this was the end. They would somehow extract the allspark knowledge, the energy he could create and they would destroy everything and build their race anew, only this time void of autobots. And what had he done? He had helped make it all the more easy. He was so foolish, unthinking and he had left Bumblebee out there, unable to defend himself because Sam hadn't thought Soundwave would be hiding, lying in wait for Starscream to do the dirty work and pay the ultimate price. He would never get to fall in love again and have that someone who finally understood him, he would never get to tell his parents how much he loved them and how much it meant to him that they supported him through the entire alien war. He doubted he would get to see another day but he'd been waiting for it, if he honestly thought about it. He wouldn't be a burden to anyone ever again.

He wondered briefly in that moment how Prowl and Ratchet had feared, were they nothing more then scraps of metal left to rust in their rubble? And Optimus and the rest of the autobots, he couldn't imagine they'd gotten away scot-free either, what were they suffering because of him? Would they become prisoners just like Sam had? Brought out only at Galloway's wishes?

The ground began to rumble beneath the Decepticons feet and Soundwave turned to search the ripped ground they had come from.

Almost as if he had been wished into substance the hunkering red flamed truck of Optimus Prime appeared in the distance, dust flailing in a haze behind him. An entourage of autobots could also been seen at his flank and it was as if the whole world had come to witness this moment, to watch evil be defeated once again. In that split second Sam wondered if he'd entered into an alternate dimension where his mere thoughts could come into existence. They had been on the run for several days only to be ambushed by Decepticons in an instant and to have autobots riding in to save their collective asses the next. It all seemed so surreal.

On cue the autobots converged upon them and in Soundwave's alarm and distress, clearly not prepared to take them on, his fingers un-clamped and Sam was dropped to the ground and left raw and tender by the impact. He was glad it had not been Starscream who had dropped him from any kind of height; he would be dead for sure.

Optimus and Ironhide were atop the deceitful mech in seconds, their guns firing wildly but precisely as they hit their mark and Soundwave went down, the arm that had held Sam moments before was torn from his side by Ironhide, almost like payback.

It was Optimus who gently picked Sam from the dirt and held him up to meet his optics. "Optimus….. you found us." He sighed into the warm metal encompassing him. He couldn't fall asleep now though, the others were still in trouble, if they had been able to hold their own that was, otherwise they were…. "Prowl, Ratchet… we got ambushed by Decepticons, they need help."

"Autobots, move out!" His command was followed without indecision as various automobiles of shapes and colors tore past them. Amongst them Sam spotted Sideswipe, Ironhide, Dino and even the twins. They moved swiftly in the direction Bumblebee had driven so fiercely away from, into the midst of battle for their comrades who had had to hold their own over the last week. They would fight side by side with pride for those bots who had taken action and accomplished an impossible task. A task that directly countermanded with not only the humans whom they were ordered to follow but their leader and Prime. Sam's mind briefly wondered over this thought and hoped none of the autobots would incur Optimus's wrath because of that decision.

"How did you find us?" Sam had so many questions, so many things to explain but he couldn't stop himself from asking this one first.

"We have been watching and tracking the Decepticons for a short while now, we hadn't expected such noise from them so soon after such a crushing defeat. We knew it would likely have something to do with you, Samuel."

Sam shivered at Optimus's use of his full name. No one ever called him by that save Optimus when he had something grave to convey. He gazed back in the direction where he had left Bumblebee which was a wasted effort seeing as they were too far away to see anything.

"But as we grew closer, that was when we felt your energy release. We knew you were in danger and converged as quickly as possible. I fear we would have been too late but I am grateful to see you in somewhat better shape then you left." Optimus commented and Sam felt the scrutiny redden his checks. The bandages around his arm seemed to shine like a beacon as he wrapped both arms around himself. He couldn't think about himself right now, he had to see that Bumblebee was OK and that Ratchet and Prowl were still in the land of the living.

Seeming to know what was on Sam's mind they headed in Bumblebee's direction but to be sure, Sam didn't know whether to celebrate at being found by the autobots or not. Surely he would just be handed over once more and the present would repeat its past, not to mention Prowl, Ratchet and Bumblebee would be heavily chastised for their involvement, he could only imagine what Galloway would ask Optimus to do as punishment for the mess and hindrance they caused.

Sam fought for the words he needed. "Optimus… I can't go back there."

Optimus's stride never faulted but Sam could have sworn he tensed somewhat, that his metal hide tightened. "They will never again decide what they think is best for you Sam, only you can decide that, you have my word." And Sam knew in that moment it would be different, that Optimus would stand beside his soldiers who had made that decision from the very beginning.

They found Bumblebee grizzling and howling, having managed enough system uploads and repairs, lying in the same position only in his robot form. Sam felt the horrendous guilt strike him in his chest and wouldn't blame Bee for never speaking with him again, he had done this only because he foolishly thought he could help and that Bumblebee hadn't understood. Maybe he had, but he didn't, couldn't risk such a thing on Sam, Bumblebee was the soldier, he understood the risks an action taken would weave in battle.

Optimus leant down to deposit Sam on the ground beside the scout and let off a human sigh by ejecting air from his vents, a trait all the autobots had fondly taken up. Bumblebee immediately stopped his struggling not realizing they had approached due to his sensors still glitching and frozen.

"There is no need to worry; the autobots have already finished dispatching those Decepticons." Optimus informed him as Bumblebee caught sight of Sam. Sam had expected him to turn away or scowl or become completely silent but that wasn't Bumblebee.

"Sam…. you're ok!... I was so worried."

"You must hate me." Sam came to stand by his guardians face, cupping his hands around it in the familiar gesture of comfort and love.

"No…Sam….. I don't hate you….. I could _never _…hate you." Sam smiled, embracing the mech and Bumblebee sighed in relief. In the distance they could hear the cheer and bustle of the other bots making their way over to their position.

"So where are we going now Optimus?" Sam turned to ask while keeping a firm grasp on Bumblebee, almost like reassurance.

"Now, we will go home."

* * *

_Theodore Galloway_

He paced frantically, madly in his office, the floorboards squeaking in certain sections from continuous wear, no doubt the same section paced from the last adviser who reigned here. Galloway wondered briefly if that man had had to put up with all that he had had to recently but highly doubted it. He wouldn't have had to deal with traitorous autobots, a teenage boy who could step into his world and dangle such a tasty morsel in front of him only to smash down the castle and watch it crumble so completely then to have his very soldiers who would never, should never question his decisions when he gave them, were turning against him, double checking what he wanted done. It wasn't like that not too long ago.

The instigator was clear however, he had been rather vociferous since the very beginning of this whole situation favoring the boy with the alien knowledge. Major William Lennox was, now very ripely, the thorn in his palm and he intended to remedy it for good. He had a good friend, a Lieutenant General no less, who was just as favorable to his point of view who would vouch for him. He just needed to get the Major to back off, far off like reassignment to another country perhaps, where Galloway wouldn't have to run into him ever again. He had _no _idea what it was like trying to run this joint operation.

Snatching the phone from its position on his desk he dialed the favorable number which was picked up on the fourth ring. "This is Lieutenant General Howell." Came the man's crisp answer.

"Ahhh Peter, Theodore Galloway here, good to hear your still in one piece."

"You heard about that Theodore? I thought they classified that."

"Oh, a lot of classified documents come my way." Galloway shrugged though the Lieutenant General couldn't see it. He had a more pressing matter to get to the middle of.

"So true." He heard chuckling on the other end.

"What I called you about however is another issue, which I'm sure you can appreciate, there are many. A certain popular Major is causing a fair amount of strife my way. Now I may not be able to rearrange his schedule but I know you can help me out there." A smile had formed on Galloway's lips as he spoke, this would teach the Major to **never **get in his way.

"I had a funny feeling that's what you were ringing me about." There was a sour note to his replay and Galloway was taken aback.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, a certain General I know has made it clear that a restructure will be taken into effect on your little side of paradise, so any interference from my end won't look good."

Galloway stared at the receiver in disbelief. What the hell was going on? Someone had already gone to a freaken General about redeploying personal and _he _didn't know about it! Was the Major that well connected? And what kind of restructure? The questions barreled into his gut like a punch to the solar plexus.

"I'm sorry Theodore, I can't help you out on this one." And Lieutenant General Howell very promptly hung up the line.

It took more then a few minutes to pull together his usual controlled facade, it wasn't often he was out maneuvered in such a way and he really didn't like it. Had Major Lennox been planning this for a while? Was he moving in to take his position? He had to be, because it couldn't possibly be anyone else. There was a knock on his door and he had every intention to simply ignore it only the knocker either guessed this or didn't care to wait for his response as he let himself in. It was the psychiatrist Reece and Galloway wasn't in the mood to deal with him at the moment.

"Galloway, I was wondering if you had a minute or two to spare?" He asked in his annoyingly pleasant demeanour.

Galloway was in no mood for pleasantries currently having one of those epic bad days. "Perhaps another time doctor, I've got a few things to attend to at the moment."

"Oh, I can assure you this is quite important _sir._" The tone in which he conveyed the last word was acutely different, so unlike Reece's timber professional and polite personality, no this spoke of authority and it was something Galloway hadn't heard before.

He stopped his pacing immediately to finally face the man with his full attention.

"I spoke with an old friend of mine, I'm not sure if you know him, General Lright." At the mention of Reece's friend's title Galloway's jaw dropped. No, it was preposterous, it had been Reece?! But the man was a pacifist from all that Galloway had gathered. He sat in comfy chairs all day listening to people's problems and making the occasional comment and opinions with a syringe behind his back.

Galloway couldn't find the words to speak, couldn't fit them together to form a reply. Reece continued instead. "I told him there were a few command issues, you know he didn't even know the autobots were on lock-down and that not too long ago they, for all intense purposes, just up and left without any hint of their destination or even any notion that they would be coming back anytime soon. Unsurprisingly he was a bit concerned, decided to check in to see how everything's been running and wasn't liking the feedback he was getting."

"You don't know anything about what happens here. You were brought here to keep Sam…."

"To keep Sam what?" Reece interrupted. "Compliant and out of the way? So you could use him? Because that's what I've been able to see, it just took me a little longer then it should have."

"You don't have the authority here." Finally able to find his voice, his anger boiling over and his calm control now thrust aside Galloway's face twisted in anger.

"This isn't about authority Adviser, it's about the well-being of a young man and along the way you completely disregarded that. Or were you never going to tell me you had already found his parents? _They_ should have been here from the very beginning; _they_ should have been making these decisions not me. And you knew that, you just couldn't see past what _you _would have."

Any cutting comments or remarks that Galloway was about to or could have come up with would have fallen on deaf ears as Reece smiled sadly, took a glance around the Adviser's space and left the room. Galloway stood by but barely, leaning back on his sturdy wooden desk and watched as the last light in his castle went out.


	17. Part Sixteen

Oh it felt so good to slam Galloway :) So don't worry there's more here for your enjoyment.

As we all know by now, I don't own Transformers or its characters, just the made up ones you never heard of.

* * *

Part Sixteen

_Sam_

When Optimus had uttered that they would be going home, for a moment Sam had thought of Cybertroian. The scarred and cracked metalized planet so far away from his own, seemingly void and lost to the stars. From what the autobots had told him (which wasn't a heck of a lot when they spoke of their home planet) there were still Cybertroians' living there, though their survival was difficult due to the fact that they had stripped their planet dry to build their empire which after the war, mostly lay in ruins. Sam felt so much loss for the autobots, he didn't want to imagine a time when humans finally destroyed their own planet, would they have space travel by then? Would they leave their home world to seek another and ravage that too? He was suddenly grateful to be living in the here and now, that those kinds of questions, though being asked now, he didn't need to take seriously. And though he would do anything for the autobots, go anywhere for them, the thought that crossed his mind of leaving for their planet terrified him. As much as he felt apart of them, was a member of their people, he could never be one of their own. Earth was were he belonged, earth was his home and it tore him to think of the possibility when they chose to leave him, Earth, behind. Sam was in no delusion that not everyone felt the way he did for the autobots and knew it would be the greatest loss to their world if they were told to leave.

Of course, they weren't going to Cybertroian, their home residence lay several hours away at the NEST base. Yes, that was still where they called home, even though not long ago they had made decisions and preparations to leave it. Optimus explained his run in and talk with Major Lennox, how the Major had asked Optimus to come back as he tried to sort out the command crisis they were currently dealing with. It was all but said that Galloway had better not be there when the autobots returned or they would promptly leave again, they refused to be ordered around by an incompetent and power greedy man any more. Optimus had also mentioned Sam would be under no ones control but his own, that Reece would no longer be interfering and could make decisions regarding his well-being in peace. Sam was speechless that Optimus had made this ultimatum for him and the worry that had seized him before was all but gone.

On the drive they talked, and Sam didn't just talk to Optimus but was patched through to the entire conversations that were happening around them from the other autobots via Optimus's comm. system. He couldn't contain his joy upon hearing the mech voices of Ratchet and Prowl as they described their ensuring battle with the Decepticons. They had taken a few hits and punches but it was nothing Ratchet couldn't patch up again and Bumblebee was now working fully with Sam's stun effects wearing off (the other autobots hadn't asked about it so he figured they either didn't know or didn't want to bring it up in that moment), it was the Decepticons who had feared worse with even less numbers in there ranks now. Behind them they were also tugging the cold remains of Soundwave for Ratchet to study later on as Starscream had managed to spread himself across a huge area, they would need to go back for him later.

They stopped a few times along the way so Sam could relive himself and collect food even though he was too nervous to eat. Ratchet threatened him across the comms and Sam smiled and chuckled at the completely validated threats, trying his best not to get food crumbs inside Optimus's interior. All too soon they had reached their destination and the comm. chatter went dead. Sam could sense the atmosphere change so promptly that his heart skipped several beats and his chest tightened. He didn't think he was ready for this but he didn't have a choice.

He didn't know what to expect when they pulled into the NEST base at 6 in the morning, though he hadn't pictured a scene quite like this one. In his younger years he imagined that soldiers never slept that that was how they managed to accomplish a seemingly endless feat of activities on a day to day basis. Of course now he knew better but he still could have sworn Lennox was a true force of nature and didn't require that unresponsive state, or more likely was quick to rise at the sound of any noise, for there he was, right in the middle as usual.

Sam had his hands right up to the window of Optimus's front door watching the scene they were driving in on and thinking maybe just maybe they should have gone slower to avoid it completely. Not to get his thoughts wrong, to his see parents again gave him that feeling of peace and familiarity he always felt, but to see his mother trying her darn-dist to beat the living crap out of Theodore Galloway with nothing but her fists (who was actually sporting a black eye), and was that an aluminum bat on the ground?

Now usually as this picture would go, his father would be stepping in, calming his usually irate mother into thinking more clearly, as it currently was, he was having a rather heated conversation with none other then Reece who was looking a little worried and glancing at Lennox more often then not like he expected the younger man to step in. Lennox simply watched on with great amusement. To Sam it appeared that a weight had been lifted off the soldier's chest.

"I think you should let me out here." Sam sighed deciding it was best to intervene before Judy got herself arrested for assaulting the fairly prominent man.

"We will be right here." Optimus gave his reassurances and Sam smiled his thanks for the comforting words. He wasn't sure how he could explain himself, explain much of anything in the past month without his parents freaking out or fainting but he would try.

Their arrival had not gone unnoticed of course; the guards who had waved them in had reported it immediately to all parties who needed to know but the distraction in the middle of the field captured the majority of staff attention. The moment Sam stepped from Optimus's protective and sound resistant interior he could finally make out what was being yelled out across the field for all to hear.

"…. you freaken kidding me? I'm gonna kick your ass, you lying son of a….." Judy was screaming profanity in the motherly way she had often found her circumstances would permit. Two soldiers were keeping her at bay (though they didn't look like they were trying very hard) from ripping into a pale and haggard looking Galloway; it was the most disheveled Sam had ever seen the man and it brought a genuine smile to his face. No doubt the autobots were also watching with even more respect and trepidation for his mother.

Not far off from Judy, Ron was up and in the personal space of Sam's former head shrink and Sam could see how incredibly uncomfortable the physiatrist appeared as he took yet another step back. Ron's words, though far quieter then his wife's were darker and held a dangerous note. "… family of Witwicky's stick together. My son saved the behinds of everyone here twice over and this is how you screw him? How you screw us?! You better have the best Goddam lawyer in the country…"

It was at this moment that his presence and that of his entourage was noticed and all conversations ceased. The sudden hush in the surrounding area was like that of a tidal wave as the ocean is pulled back and the feeling of knowing that you were about to be crushed, spun and drowned sank in. To have all eyes turned to him wasn't a particularly pleasant feeling as he felt like that unyielding tidal wave.

Feeling the need to speak Sam broke the silence. "So ahhhhh, we're back." It wasn't the most profound thing he could have said but it did the trick.

The look of relief that passed over the faces or near everyone on base was an odd thing to see. Even that of the most poised officer, most of them Sam didn't know very well, had him biting his cheek to keep from laughing. Now perhaps was not the best time he really did need to take the situation seriously.

It was Lennox who stepped forward first with a clap to his uninjured shoulder. "It's good to see you." His reply was so genuine, relief felt and caring Sam felt tears brewing in his eyes.

That was when his mother's responses kicked in and she abandoned her efforts of shredding and pummeling the Adviser to rush to Sams's side and pull him into a bear type hug. He winced as she squeezed too hard and she gently peeled herself away to scrutinize him fully.

"Oh my boy! You're so skinny." She commented as tears streaked down her face. She took in the bandages that covered one of his arms, his posture that had him standing mostly on one leg and the slump of exhaustion that had settled in his bones as he'd been unable to sleep on the trip home. "You look terrible!"

"Come on Jude, he's been though a lot." Came the silent input of his farther as he looked on sadly. He seemed almost unsure what to do but eventually came to embrace Sam as well.

From the corner of his eye Sam watched as Reece stepped forward, his gaze containing nothing but sorrow and regret. Ron must have really had a field day with him Sam thought and on that note, his father, also catching the mans advances, spun to face him once again.

"You better back the hell off or I will not be responsible for my actions you hear." Reece abruptly ceased his advances and put his hands in the air as a sign of surrender and submission.

"I just wanted to see for myself that he was in one piece." He mumbled apologetically and stepped back. It was difficult to feel sorry for the guy, though Sam could see Reece finally understood he couldn't stand between what had come to pass, it would be a long time before Sam could stand to look at the guy and not feel such fear and hate press him. He may have thought he meant well but that didn't excuse his lax attitude and ignorant understanding of Sam's alien friends.

"Hey, where the hell do you think you're going?" Sometime during the conversation Sam hadn't realized that Galloway had tried to slink into the background and excuse himself only Judy wasn't having any of that. She still had a score to settle apparently. "You get you're ass back here right now." She screeched at him and his face turned the color of scarlet as his own soldiers turned to smirk at him. He would get no sympathy.

As his mother once again began barreling into him Sam watched as a dark SUV drove their way from the other side of the base at a rather fast paced speed. A few of the autobots transformed as they too caught this action and watched its advance. It came to a screech before their party and stopped all but Judy's berating, who seemed completely unawares to their new arrival.

The doors opened and three men clad in neatly pressed black attire stepped forth. Two of the men showed the age of thirty years or more and their profession was obvious as they stood tall and taunt around the youngest man who couldn't be more then five years Sam's senior.

Reece stepped into the line of fire first and extended his hand with a knowing smile. "Security Adviser Norson, General Lright said you'd be stopping by soon." His title had the soldiers gawking, mostly because it was rare to see such a young individual in such a position of power. "You'll be wanting to step in as soon as possible?" Reece asked politely and the young man nodded his head.

"Wait, what, step in?" It was clear Galloway understood the situation was not going in his favor and at the thought this boy himself could simply saunter in and take over was a joke beyond words.

"I thought that would have been obvious given the breaches in human rights and almost driving off one of our countries greatest assists." Norson's un-intimidating figure pulled free of his flanked guards and he approached the former Adviser with disdain. "You have hereby been pulled from this position starting immediately where upon a court hearing will decide the proper penalty and your future in this line of work."

Norson's men took their cue and grasped a furious Galloway between them as he let loose a string of foul words from his unbelieving reddened face. They pulled him into the SUV and departed leaving everyone to look on and stare openly at Norson who appeared to have taken Galloway's job right out from under him. Who the hell was this guy and what were they now installed for? They would soon know.

* * *

Sweet, cream on the cake :) Mauhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuh


	18. Part Seventeen Epilogue

Yes yes, that's right my rabid readers I am sorry to say this is the end :(... I want to thank you all so much for the reviews, the comments and for reading my little story and I hoped it was everything, or at least some of, what you were looking for. I also hope I tied up any and all loose ends but sometimes a story plot can get a little away from me and I miss things, so sorry if I did!

(You know I actually brought the comic of the second Transformers movie and at the end of the comic it **did **mention about the allspark knowledge! It said it transferred to Optimus when Sam brought him back with the matrix, huh, funny, you thought they coulda mentioned that in the movie, it would've been like one or two lines and closed that frustrating plot hole but no, you had to buy the comic to find that out!) LOL forgive my ranting and enjoy the last installment.

* * *

Part Seventeen / Epilogue

_Sam_

**3 Years Later**

Time can pass quicker then you think when you don't watch it. Though it was true that all time was relative, Sam had often observed that watched time seemed to stand a room still, while time unwatched appeared to slink away like smoke. Where had the years gone? He remembered with crisp clarity the days he had spent on the run with three autobots as they tried and succeeded to valiantly honor his choices and protect who they had come to love and perceive as one of their own. Though human, Sam was as much an autobot as a human could be. Anyone found in his company for long could attest to that.

Since his return that morning to NEST base he, along with the autobots who had refused point blank to leave his side unless he felt comfortable enough, had been ushered into the open space that was once again the aliens' home. Norson, the freshly appointed Security Adviser, had gotten straight down to business. He wanted to know everything and he didn't want anything left out. For a moments Sam had feared he was simply another Galloway, ready to power up and see what this new line of work could bring him, but as they had talked Sam had found extreme differences. Norson wasn't Galloway in any respect; he was actually in awe of the autobots. He found them fascinating to no end and listened intently to their tale without interruption. By the end his face seemed to have lost a fair amount of color and his gaze on Sam was grave. Reece was absent from this meeting, wished by all parties but Sam had let Ron and Judy hear the full account, he felt they needed to if they wanted to understand his next choice, one he had debated with himself and come to the conclusion fairly quickly.

By the beginning of the new week, the majority of his positions had been promptly shipped over and now resided in his new place of residence, one he shared with the autobots on NEST. It had taken a bit to swing, a lot of persuasion from Lennox, some tears from his mother as she nodded her comprehension to his decision, and the OK from Norson to pull it off. In all honesty, Sam didn't know what to expect with his new life, what would be asked of him and where the allspark and the autobots would take him but he knew this was his set path. He was destined to do this.

* * *

**3 Years Previous**

For several days he remained hauled up in Ratchet's med bay under strict supervision and bed rest. Not wholly unexpected at least this time Sam had entertainment to ease the passing of time and he threw himself into his school work and anything else that interested him at any given time. It was clear his knowledge absorption was extraordinary; his ability to soak information like a sponge was a gift that no doubt stemmed as an after effect of the allspark, or so Ratchet theorized. As for the energy Sam was able to produce, it was some time before he was allowed to experiment with that.

It had been a beautiful hot sunny day and once again Sam found himself cooped up inside. It wasn't like the autobots _needed _sunlight but Sam was still human after all and he had stared to become rather pale in their presence. Unbeknownst to Sam Ratchet had set up a kind of electrical barrier outside on a particularly unused section of the base which was where Sam currently found himself. He'd been badgering Ratchet for weeks about this energy thing and it looked like the un-wave-able bot had finally wavered.

There were several large machines placed around the concrete field at uneven intervals, the metal shining in the light from the sun stinging Sam's eyes. The machines ranged from arm length to human sized to near autobot size and though Sam didn't know what any of them did, he trusted they were there for a reason, Ratchet didn't like wasting time.

"You must stand in the middle." Ratchet instructed as he fiddled here and there with any number of the machines. Several of the other autobots could be found observing also but from where Ratchet had deemed a 'safe distance'. Sam waved to Bumblebee and Prowl and they waved back in encouragement.

Ratchet's holoform fizzed into existence and began sifting through a bag Ratchet had brought along before walking over to Sam. "I'll need to monitor you also," was his explanation as he attached wires with sticky adhesives to his skin.

Taking it all and not complaining Sam just stood there until Ratchet was satisfied everything was ready to go. Sam half expected some excuse to pop up and stop them midway, as it had so often been given to him, but the autobot medic remained silent and focused in his work.

The holoform pointed to a huge smooth metal circle twice the size of his head with countless wires protruding from it and told him to face it. He was to aim and discharge his energy into this where it would be harmlessly absorbed and dissipated. Nervous now with a crowd watching on, Sam's palms began to sweat and he brushed them off on his pants; if they didn't start soon he feared he'd start scratching his skin off.

"When you're ready, send a small amount of energy to the energy holder." The holoform instructed and Sam nodded. It was now or never.

Taking a deep breath and then exhaling he closed his eyes and focused. He'd been getting quite good at this, with help from any number of the autobots, to channel where he found this power and either push it down or pull it forth. Now he needed it, so he pictured in his mind a current riding up though his veins to his fingertips. Opening his eyes he focused on the metal circle raising his hands and letting the energy flow from him to the metal. Just as quickly as it shone around him, the device had captured it, the blue electrical current bouncing around inside until it died out.

There were sounds ranging from 'ohhhhs' and 'ahhhhs' and some weird metallic sounds he couldn't make out coming from his spectators that Sam blushed.

"This time I want you to push as much as you can into it." Ratchet called as he checked over the instrumentation.

"Are you sure that can handle it?" Sam asked pointing to the energy holder. He had used his power at full force before and blown Starscream away and he really didn't think this metal contraption would be able to stop it if he did _that _again no matter how much faith he had in Que and Ratchet's inventions.

Ratchet gave him a pointed look and Sam didn't argue further, fine, he would throw everything he had and trust Ratchet knew what he was asking. Taking another deep breath he went through the process again, this time pulling everything he had, everything he could find. The holder did as it was designed and caught it all, several of the wires frying their connection, and the energy bounced around for a moment or two.

Exhaustion settled into Sam's bones and he quickly took the opportunity to sit down before he fell down. It did not go unnoticed and instantly Ratchet's holoform was at his side helping him up and away from the testing center.

"I'm fine." He mumbled albeit quieter then usual but Ratchet didn't listen, when did he ever listen?

"Just take a moment." Ratchet's holoform irritably looked him over, checking with his readings that everything was indeed OK before ripping the monitoring devices from Sam's skin.

"Owwww." He whined weakly, not really having the energy any more to protest fully. This had happened the last time so they knew what to expect. After meeting Norson for the first time and watching sweetly as Galloway was hauled away disgraced, he had slept for no less then two days. Thankfully, as always, he had no plans.

They had gained a lot of data that day. Ratchet was then able to measure Sam's energy capacity and also observe what happened to Sam's body when he exerted himself in such a way. Though it gave them a few answers, there were still so many questions, still so many things they simply didn't know and couldn't know until they _knew_. It told them Sam could probability restart a bots spark but without proper focus it could also destroy it. It told them that every time Sam used this energy it sapped at him, leaving him weak and frail. It told them they couldn't use Sam like a battery, they wouldn't, they would never but that didn't stop others from thinking that way if they found out. So needless to say all relevant data was recorded only in their minds.

* * *

That had been almost three years before and still they were discovering together just exactly what Sam was capable of, what he could do. He still managed to surprise them. For the here and now, he had just finished his collage courses and graduated with high honors. He had found it amusing going back to classes a full four months after the incident that forced him to leave near the beginning of the semester, already knowing everything that he was supposedly being taught. His mind in a state of open flux, Sam had found learning to be an exceptionally easy task, everything came quickly to him. Well, except the psychical training. That took time but he couldn't have picked a better place to train in, he still had his heart set on joining the NEST team and you could guarantee he'd need to get in shape.

As for Norson, well it went beyond saying that he was a fair sight better leader then Galloway ever could have been at his best. The guy was young, but as it turned out he was fairly brilliant. A few social oddities here and there not to mention that OCD thing but he got on well with the troops, he seemed to understand where they were coming from. They seemed to respect him after one faithful night at dinner they had somehow managed to make the food wiggle and move about, Norson promptly voided his stomach and couldn't look at mess tent food the same since. No one had ever expected Norson to get someone (everyone knew it had to be a couple of autobots but they never admitted to anything) to dig trenches around the sleeping units and then fill it with quick sand in one night. Sam was so glad he didn't sleep in that section and made a mental note to never cross that man.

At that moment he sat in the middle of the grassy fields watching the stars and listening to the familiar sounds of the encampment. He couldn't have pictured his future this way, it was more then he could have possibly hoped for.

"Mind if I join you?" Lennox asked giving Sam a jump.

"Uh, yeah. I thought you'd be at home by now, don't you actually have a weekend?" Seriously, with a wife like his and his sweet little kid growing up so fast, Sam wondered how he stayed away from them for so long.

"She understands that sometimes, OK, most of the time, I get held up. That's what makes her so perfect. There'll be a girl out there for you too who'll understand what you need."

Sam gave him an incredulous look. "You mean someone who won't run shrieking and mortified after they realize I'm like, radioactive."

"You're not radioactive."

"I can generate Energon inside my cells and use it as a weapon. If that's not being radioactive I don't know what is." Sam had him at that so Lennox didn't argue.

"How are you're parents lately?" Lennox changed the subject seeing as this one was tugging on the younger man.

"Oh, you know, another round the world holiday. They call often though, like they're afraid I'll stop picking up one day. They still think about that day I almost died, again. But I guess they've come to the understanding I'll always be in the line of fire."

"I heard you spoke to Reece the other day." By heard Lennox was referring to the phone call he was alerted to when any off base call was incoming that wasn't prior approved. He had been shocked to see that number once again and couldn't contain his curiosity.

Sam was quite for a while, not sure how to word the conversation he had had. It had come out of the blue, like a slap from his past but he had gotten past that, he assured himself he had put it behind him as best it would fit.

They had spoken briefly, it had been kinda odd, awkward and uncomfortable but after Reece had left from Sam's life Reece hadn't been able to check his progress, it was confidential and Reece was no longer allowed access to Sam's files. He had just wanted to know that Sam was well and happy after the years that had passed; he preferred to know any and all the people he treated were OK down the line. Sam had reassured him and thought it best not to bring that conversation up with anyone. People had a lot of mixed feelings over that man and he understood why after hearing the full events.

"It was nothing." He replied, his gaze settling back to the stars as he breathed in the fresh crisp night air and smiled to himself.

* * *

I know I know, WHAT?! It's over already? Well, maybe...


End file.
